On the day his company settled allegations it used protected wood in its operations, Gibson Guitar CEO Henry Juszkiewicz struck a defiant tone about how the process unfolded and how he plans to move forward.

In a statement posted on the company's website, Juszkiewicz said the company would have faced millions in legal expenses defending the alleged Lacey Act violations in court. Juszkiewicz also said he intends to continue to press for changes to the Lacey Act "to avoid systemic criminalization of capitalism."

"I don't retreat from any of my prior commentary, but I am gratified that this resolution puts the matter behind us," he said.

Congressman Marsha Blackburn, who had been one of Gibson's champions in D.C., took a similar tone in reacting to the settlement.

"Given the confusion Washington bureaucrats create with the excessive regulations being heaped on America's small business owners, I am really not surprised by this turn of events," Blackburn said. "I am extremely disappointed with the intimidation tactics used by DOJ and the Fish and Wildlife service in the Gibson case. There is no reason that hard-working employees at the Gibson plants should have been raided by armed federal agents. It didn't have to come to this. Not to mention, the lack of cooperation these agencies have displayed in my efforts to get answers to the circumstances surrounding this raid that took place almost a year ago."

Understandably more upbeat are the people who helped bring to light Gibson's use of the Madagascar woods. The Environmental Investigation Agency called the company's agreement to pay a fine and forfeit the wood "a watershed moment" in the fight against illegal logging.

"This agreement shows that when the Lacey Act is allowed to work, the environment and the economy benefit," said Jameson French, CEO of Northland Forest Products and a board member of the Hardwood Federation. "The Lacey Act is a huge success story for creating jobs in America. This Criminal Enforcement Agreement should be a wake up call for companies thinking about importing illegally logged wood that the government is going to take violations of the Lacey Act very seriously."