No. The federal search and seizure sought to capture ... ready? Wood. To be exact, rosewood and ebony wood from India, which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service declared to be illegal to import in its raid on the renowned Tennessee guitar maker.

Yes, your tax dollars are again hard at work as federal agents sought to bust another pillar of American business by rounding up alleged tree contraband based upon a century-old law. It is called the Lacey Act, which was signed into law by President William McKinley all the way back on May 25, 1900. Initially, the act was adopted to prevent big game poachers from killing endangered birds in Africa, particularly to regulate trade in feathered hats. It was later expanded and amended to include endangered plants and illegalize the importing of all forms of fauna and flora, including wood, which was added to the act just three years ago.

So what was Gibson Guitar's specific crime? The feds say Gibson allegedly shipped rosewood and ebony wood from India that was in an "unfinished" state (i.e. not cut into thin strips or veneer, which is perfectly legal in India). However, Gibson Guitar CEO Henry Juszkiewicz says he possesses a letter from the government of India that declares the legality of the wood as a "finished" product for fretboards on the necks of the guitars.

Last week, Fox News further elaborated that Vinod Srivastava, India's deputy director-general of foreign trade, stipulated in a letter dated Sept. 16, "Fingerboard is a finished product and not wood in primary form. The foreign trade policy of the government of India allows free export of such finished products of wood."

Of course, there could be far more up the feds' sleeves in this multiple ransack of Gibson Guitar, but we'll never know. As the Washington Post reported this last week, "Specifics of the investigation by the Environmental Crimes Section of the Justice Department have been filed under seal." It's probably filed under the same heading, "Eric Holder's Fast & Furious holdouts, etc."!

But forget about the feds' "Fast and Furious" gun-smuggling crimes and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder's acts of perjury via denial of its facts before Congress. Forget about Washington's $500 million debacle with Solyndra. Might as well let go of the billions of dollars that Washington gave to bail out Wall Street over the last few years. And never mind the feds' onslaught of overzealous overreaches and over-regulations on Main Street businesses across the country. Because this administration thinks it's high time to further cripple American business by pulling the strings and picking on a staple of the music industry and entrepreneurial spirit like Gibson Guitar! Gibson CEO Juszkiewicz recently tweeted the real question that needs to be addressed: "Why is big government spending our money to harm ordinary citizens and small businesses?"

And how pertinent should an ever-expanding and archaic Lacey Act be when it forces Americans to oblige to every other nation's trade laws? If we must bow to other countries' legalities, where is American sovereignty and individual rights? And how long will it be until Interpol oversteps all the boundaries to enforce a universalistic U.N. trade code? At very least, such federal actions as those taken against Gibson Guitar are reminiscent of those of Lavrenti Beria, Stalin's head of his secret police, who boasted, "Show me the man and I'll find you the crime."

According to the Heritage Foundation, the feds have used the Lacey Act to prosecute orchid growers and spiny lobster importers, too. Now, it's guitar manufacturers' turn? And what about tomorrow? What about other companies and guitar makers, like Fender, Martin, Taylor, Paul Reed Smith, Ribbecke, Collings, Breedlove, to name a few? What about Gibson retailers and individuals who resell guitars on sites like eBay? What about the purchasers of Gibson guitars – those who possess the wood contraband inlayed in their stringed instruments? There goes the likes of B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eddie Van Halen and millions of others! Buyer beware! Armed federal agents could be coming to a music store, sound studio or house near you!

Please, email the White House or call (202) 456-1111 today. Tell the feds to get their eyes off of guitars and back on the guns they handed over to Mexican cartels. Then call Gibson Guitars (800) 4GIBSON and tell them you're joining me in standing with them.

Rock on, Gibson Guitar! Or should I say, rosewood on, Gibson Guitar?!

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