Susan Scott of Watertown holds a sign in support of Gibson Guitar.

National Tea Party groups are vocalizing support for Gibson Guitar, which is under investigation for illegally harvesting wood from Madagascar and India. Protesters say the federal government has tarnished the name of an iconic American company.

At a rally Saturday, a young guitarist wailed out the national anthem on a Gibson Les Paul. Hundreds gathered in a parking lot not far from the company’s Nashville factory that was raided by federal agents in August. Imported fret boards were confiscated for the second time since 2009 under a conservation law called the Lacey Act.

Amy Kremer is the chairman of Tea Party Express and says the feds have their priorities wrong.

“We have illegal immigrants crossing our borders every day. They’re breaking the law,” she said to cheers. “The government’s not doing anything about it, but yet they’re concerned about these little pieces of wood that are coming into our country across our borders?”

At issue in the latest raid, according to Gibson, is whether or not the company followed Indian law when importing rosewood. The U.S. Attorney has confirmed a criminal investigation underway.

It’s rare for a corporation facing federal charges to receive such support. But Leo Michaud, a Nashville real estate agent, says he can’t believe the company broke the law.

“They [Gibson] have no problem saying to everybody on the air that they have followed all the laws of India,” he said, referring to Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz and his frequent appearances on Fox News.

Sidestepping Substance of the Case

Juszkiewicz did not go into details of the case during the rally, only telling the crowd he plans to fight what he calls “an injustice.”

If the Justice Department finds Gibson knowingly broke the law, retired teacher Susan Scott of Watertown says it would be a different story.

“I would snatch my support away in a nano second,” she says.

Tennessee Congressman Marsha Blackburn has become Gibson’s top ally in Washington, accusing the government of “selective enforcement.” Others have suggested the Obama Administration is targeting Gibson because its CEO is a big Republican donor.

However, when asked if her appearance at Saturday’s rally means she thinks the company is innocent, Blackburn spoke more broadly.

“What we need to do is make certain we’re protecting against illegal logging,” Blackburn says. “What we need to do is be certain people know the law. When you have a selective enforcement and a selective application of the law, it’s confusing to everybody in the industry.”