Henry Juszkiewicz, CEO of Gibson Guitar, Corp., today signed on to Right on Crime’s Statement of Principles.

“I am proud to endorse Right on Crime,” said Juszkiewicz.  “There are more than 4,000 federal statutory criminal laws in America.  This includes the Lacey Act which allows the federal government to interpret and enforce the laws of every other country.  Big government uses many of these laws to criminalize capitalism and further regulate job creators like Gibson.  This is damaging our economy and bankrupting taxpayers.  Our taxpayer dollars are much better spent protecting the public from crime that actually endangers our neighborhoods instead of turning job creators into jailbirds.  This is why I support Right on Crime’s approach.”

“Right on Crime is honored to have Mr. Juszkiewicz endorse our Statement of Principles,” said Marc Levin, Senior Policy Advisor to Right on Crime.  “The Gibson Guitar raid has galvanized grassroots opposition to the runaway growth of criminal law.  While many businesses would understandably be afraid to speak out, Mr. Juszkiewicz and Gibson have courageously joined the broader effort to make our criminal laws consistent with the values of liberty, entrepreneurship, and limited government Americans share.  Right on Crime is privileged to have Mr. Juszkiewicz as an ally in our effort to ensure criminal law is reserved for actions that are blameworthy or threaten public safety.”

On August 24, 2011, Gibson Guitar factories were raided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  The federal agency ordered workers to go home for the day and confiscated over 100 guitars and boxes of raw materials.  (Click here to read Right On Crime Signatory Pat Nolan’s National Review article on the raids.)

The federal government justified the raid under the Lacey Act – a law originally intended to curb the poaching of endangered species that allows the United States to interpret and enforce criminal laws of other countries.  Gibson imports wood from India to create fingerboards for their guitars.  The wood seized during the August 24 raid was harvested legally and was from a Forest Stewardship Council certified supplier.  The Indian government approved the shipment, and U.S. Customs allowed the shipment to pass through America’s border to Gibson’s factory.