Justice Department Targets Gibson Guitars

OK, so we have hurricanes wreaking havoc along the east coast, earthquakes shaking up things in Washington DC, and the founding fathers rolling over in their graves but instead of actually taking care of real governmental business and looking after the safety of Americans; the US Justice Department has twice raided the Nashville Factory of Gibson Guitars.

According to Henry Juszkiewicz, Gibson’s chief executive, the Justice Department has issued search warrants, raided the factory with automatic weapons drawn, and seized guitars and ebony wood fingerboards – property of Gibson that has yet to be returned – all without filing any charges.

At issue is Gibson’s importing of wood from India and Madagascar. The US Justice Department doesn’t have any issue with Gibson and US law but with Indian law. According to Justice it is against Indian law to import that has not been finished by Indian workers.

Juszkiewicz said that Gibson has and has produced all the legal documentation on the wood they import for constructing their guitars. Gibson has been dealing with the Justice Department for the past two years over the issue.

If Gibson has all the proper documents showing their wood is legal then why has the Justice Department harassed and raided the company not one but twice? And then to confiscate instruments without filing charges nor returning the instruments sounds like Justice are the ones who are at fault. There are far more important things and actual crimes – violent crimes – that should occupy Justice’s time and energy instead of worrying about an American company producing an American product with American workers.