Georgia's Lt. Governor Threatens Delta Over NRA Boycott... 'I'll Kill Delta's Tax Benefits'
In what is sure to be considered the latest fallout from the deadly Parkland, Florida school shooting, Georgia’s Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle has threatened Delta Air Lines over what he suggests is unfair treatment.
The lieutenant governor announced Monday that, unless Delta reinstates its ties with the National Rifle Association, he will halt any tax legislation slated to benefit the major airline company.
“I will kill any tax legislation that benefits @Delta unless the company changes its position and fully reinstates its relationship with @NRA,” Cagle tweeted. “Corporations cannot attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back.”
According to NBC, Delta is one of many large corporations that have cut ties with the National Rifle Association in the wake of the Valentine’s Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida that left 17 people dead, and claimed shortly after that it would not be offering discounted fares for members of the NRA to attend their annual meetings.
The move coincided with a bigger call throughout the nation to ban assault-style rifles, such as an AR-15, which was used by 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz in the Florida shooting spree.
In a news release by the company, Delta claimed its decision “merely confirmed its neutral status” when it came to the growing national debate over guns.
As Cagle’s comment picks up throughout social media, thousands have added their own praise or disapproval of the lieutenant governor’s actions.
The threat to the company from the lieutenant governor came at a time when Delta was near to convincing lawmakers to restore a $50 million sales tax exemption on jet fuel, as it would be the prime beneficiary of the tax cut.
Cagle’s threat of tax exemption is reportedly making its way through the legislature, as he claims to use his position as president of the state Senate and runner-up for Georgia governor to effectively “sink” the proposed sales tax exemption on jet fuel.
“I’m tired of conservatives being kicked around on our values,” Cagle told Channel 2 on Monday. “And it’s time that we stand up and fight and show corporations that conservative values are important.”
However, Finance Committee Chair Chuck Hufstetler stated that he believes the tax cuts will ultimately pass, though he admitted that he was less sure when it came to the jet fuel tax break.
“I think we need to have further discussions on that issue before we move forward,” Hufstetler said.
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