Obama had armed SWAT agents raid a law-abiding guitar factory because it was owned by a Republican

wordpress ^ | May 24, 2013 | Dan from Squirrel Hill

[grundle]

Dan from Squirrel Hill's Blog

President Obama had armed SWAT agents raid a law-abiding guitar factory because it was owned by a Republican donor

President Obama had armed SWAT agents raid the Gibson guitar factory, ordered the employees to leave, and seized guitars and other property from the factory – and all of this happened without any charges being filed.

It was later reported that Gibson had not broken any U.S. laws.

Obama’s so-called justification for the raid was that Gibson had broken environmental laws from India regarding the imported wood that Gibson had been using.

Gibson claimed that it had not broken any Indian laws – and even if Gibson had broken India’s laws, the U.S. Constitution does not give the U.S. government the authority to enforce India’s laws anyway.

In addition, it was also reported that Henry E. Juszkiewicz, the CEO of Gibson, was a Republican donor.

Meanwhile, C.F. Martin & Company, Gibsons’s competitor, had used the exact same imported wood, but had not gotten raided. Chris Martin IV, the CEO of Martin, was a Democratic donor.

Obama explained his actions in the following speech (the bolding is mine)

“If Latinos sit out the election instead of saying, ‘We’re gonna punish our enemies, and we’re gonna reward our friends who stand with us on issues that are important to us’ — if they don’t see that kind of upsurge in voting in this election — then I think it’s going to be harder. And that’s why I think it’s so important that people focus on voting on November 2nd.”

[Standing Wolf]

It was later reported that Gibson had not broken any U.S. laws.

Well, yeah, but Gibson took advantage of the Republican loop hole.

[jeffc]

POTUS can order SWAT teams around? Doesn’t there have to be something like a duly authorized warrant executed and then those in charge of the raid (the one’s actually doing the work) decide on the best approach?

[2ndDivisionVet]

How would things be different if Al Capone or Jimmy Hoffa had been elected president?

[jeffc]

The linked report has a date of 2011. It reports that Gibson has tried to get their wood back but that is on a "stay while the investigation continues". It is now 2013. Is the "investigation" still ongoing?

If so, that's a hint that the raid was a punishment from Obama to his "enemies". Count me in with Gibson (although I own an Epiphone....).

[FreeAtlanta]

Gibson should sue the Democrat Party, Eric Holder, Obama, Jarrett, and the whole Regime. Forget suing the Federal government, that just hurts everyone. Go after the people and their organization.

The KKK and other hate groups were sued and RICOed into behaving, maybe the same can be done to the leftist.

If it is proven that the Car Dealerships were targeted because of politics, they should have individual and class action suits for damages.

[narses]

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[FreeAtlanta]

Can this be used?

The Federal Tort Claims Act ("FTCA")

Historically, under the doctrine of "sovereign immunity," you were not permitted to sue the king. Sovereign immunity has carried over to modern times in the form of a general rule that you cannot sue the government -- unless the government says you can. Fortunately, the Federal Tort Claims Act ("FTCA") allows certain kinds of lawsuits against federal employees who are acting within the scope of their employment. If you believe you may have a claim for negligence (careless conduct, or other wrongful or "tortious" conduct) against a federal agency or employee, you must first determine whether you can sue the federal government under the FTCA. Unless your claim is allowed by the FTCA, there is a good chance it will be barred by sovereign immunity.

[Hot Tabasco]

Is the "investigation" still ongoing?

No, it was settled in August of last year with the DOJ dropping charges in exchange for Gibson paying $350,000..........

Legalized extortion......

[Secret Agent Man]

you can dispatch someone with cable ties. a seal certainly could, anyway.

[muawiyah]

All of the people named have friends and relatives. Sue them for engaging in a criminal conspiracy. Demand millions of dollars in real and punitive damages.

[MileHi]

How naive...

[Amendment10]

... the U.S. Constitution does not give the U.S. government the authority to enforce India’s laws anyway.

I'm seeing contradictory statements about this issue in various FR threads.

Now The Gibson Guitar Raids Make Sense

The problem for Gibson Guitar is the following imo. The FR thread at the above link mentions the Lacey Act.

Lacey Act of 1900

This was a constitutionally defensible act, imo, which prohibited the poaching of protected plants and animals in one state and selling or trading them in another state. And since the Founding States delegated to Congress via the Constitution the specific power to regulate trade between the states and foreign countries as well as between the states, such power clarified by the Commerce Clause, Clause 3 of Section 8 of Article I, Congress was justified, imo, when it amended the Lacey Act to include protected plants and animals poached from foreign countries.

But where Gibson Guitar really screwed up was not providing "protection money," aka contributions to Democratic candidates, like Democrat Chris Martin IV of Martin Co. did. /s

[Mortrey]

Weren’t there stories of SWAT Teams (or armed agents of some sort) going to the oil platforms right after the BP spill in the Gulf?

I always thought that...odd.

[FreeAtlanta]

This racket started with Bill Clinton going after Microsoft because they once had a policy of not paying political extortion (a.k.a. contributions), plus it was the “Wag the Dog” that kept on wagging. The media was enthralled.

[Travis McGee]

[Neidermeyer]

they should have individual and class action suits for damages.
************************************
I think what you mean is that Obama and his team should be sued individually and severally... take everything he owns and will own for the next 50 years.. then send him to live with his brother in that 6*9 mud hut.

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