Gibson Guitar's Official Statement on its Persecution by the Government

Gibson CEO Juszkiewicz says, "...perhaps our good friends in the media can use their investigative skills to help us to get the bottom of exactly why the government has singled out Gibson for harassment."

The Justice department bullies Gibson without filing charges

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



Gov’t says wood is illegal if U.S. workers produce it

Thursday, August 25, 2011



The Federal Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. has suggested that the use of wood from India that is not finished by Indian workers is illegal, not because of U.S. law, but because it is the Justice Department’s interpretation of a law in India. (If the same wood from the same tree was finished by Indian workers, the material would be legal.) This action was taken without the support and consent of the government in India.



On August 24, 2011, around 8:45 a.m. CDT, agents for the federal government executed four search warrants on Gibson’s facilities in Nashville and Memphis and seized several pallets of wood, electronic files and guitars. Gibson had to cease its manufacturing operations and send workers home for the day, while armed agents executed the search warrants. Gibson has fully cooperated with the execution of the search warrants.



• Raid shut down Gibson factories and cost company money - This is the second time that federal agents have raided Gibson facilities and disrupted production – this time causing lost productivity and sales.



• Wood seized was Forest Stewardship Council Controlled - The wood the Government seized on August 24 is from a Forest Stewardship Council certified supplier and is FSC Controlled, meaning that the wood complies with the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council, which is an industry-recognized and independent, not-for-profit organization established to promote responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC Controlled Wood standards require, among other things, that the wood not be illegally harvested and not be harvested in violation of traditional and civil rights. See www.fsc.org for more information. Gibson has a long history of supporting sustainable and responsible sources of wood and has worked diligently with entities such as the Rainforest Alliance and Greenpeace to secure FSC certified supplies. The wood seized on August 24 satisfied FSC standards.



• Nearly two years later, no charges have been filed - In 2009, more than a dozen agents with automatic weapons invaded the Gibson factory in Nashville. The Government seized guitars and a substantial amount of ebony fingerboard blanks from Madagascar. To date, 1 year and 9 months later, criminal charges have NOT been filed, yet the Government still holds Gibson’s property. Gibson has obtained sworn statements and documents from the Madagascar government and these materials, which have been filed in federal court, show that the wood seized in 2009 was legally exported under Madagascar law and that no law has been violated. Gibson is attempting to have its property returned in a civil proceeding that is pending in federal court.



The Justice Department has asked the judge to stop the court case indefinitely.



• Information sought in raid was already made available - Since 2009, Gibson has fully cooperated with the Government’s investigation of wood and has provided substantial documentation regarding Gibson’s wood-buying activities over the years. Yet, the Federal Government raided Gibson’s facilities on August 24, 2011, without warning or communication of any kind. Had the Government simply communicated with Gibson, Gibson would have cooperated without having to stop its production and send workers home.



• Not about illegal logging, not about conservation, not about the environment - The U.S. Lacey Act does not directly address conservation issues but is about obeying all laws of the countries from which wood products are procured. This law reads that you are guilty if you did not observe a law even though you had no knowledge of that law in a foreign country. The U.S. Lacey Act is only applicable when a foreign law has been violated.



• Gibson is innocent and will fight to protect its rights - Gibson has complied with foreign laws and believes it is innocent of ANY wrong doing. We will fight aggressively to prove our innocence.



For more information, please contact:

Henry E. Juszkiewicz

c/o Gibson Guitar Corp.

309 Plus Park Blvd.

Nashville, TN 37217

As an aside, Gibson is a non-unionized shop while its competitors are largely unionized.



And Gibson's CEO is a Republican donor while his competitors -- who import the exact same wood without complaint from the government -- are Democrat contributors.



But I'm sure those are all just coincidences.




Hat tip: D&S.