Georgia lawmakers voted Monday not to include a tax break in a bill that would have benefitted Delta Air Lines to the tune of $50 million, after the airline politicized the Parkland shooting.
The airline announced Saturday it was severing its ties with the National Rifle Association and its five million members in an effort to “refrain from entering this debate and focus on its business.”
Delta is reaching out to the NRA to let them know we will be ending their contract for discounted rates through our group travel program. We will be requesting that the NRA remove our information from their website.
— Delta (@Delta) February 24, 2018
The decision effectively punished the NRA’s five million members for the actions of a gunman who killed 17 students in Florida earlier this month — a tragedy the organization and its members had nothing to do with. In response, Georgia lawmakers moved to strip a tax cut Monday they had been planning to include in a broader bill that would have benefitted Delta to the tune of $50 million. The bill sailed through the House but is now on hold in the Senate because of Delta’s decision.
“Corporations cannot attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back,” Georgia Lt. Governor and Republican gubernatorial candidate Casey Cagle tweeted Monday.
I will kill any tax legislation that benefits @Delta unless the company changes its position and fully reinstates its relationship with @NRA. Corporations cannot attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back.
— Casey Cagle (@CaseyCagle) February 26, 2018
Delta isn’t the only corporation to vilify NRA members. First National Bank of Omah, Hertz, Enterprise, and Avis Budget rental car companies announced it was severing its relationship with the organization on Friday. United Airlines, MetLife, Chubb, Symantee, SimpliSafe, and Starkey Hearing Technologies also followed suit.
