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After Delta drops support for NRA, Ga. lawmakers retaliate by dropping tax break

Posted at 5:35 PM, Mar 01, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-01 17:35:06-05

In retribution for Delta ending its support for the NRA following a mass shooting that killed 17 at a high school in Parkland, Florida, the Republican-held Georgia Senate ended a jet fuel sales tax break for Delta that could cost the company up to $50 million. 

The bill, which has already been approved by the state's majority GOP House, is said to have the support of Governor Nathan Deal. 

"Disagreement on key issues of our time should not prevent Georgians from keeping more of their hard-earned dollars," he said at a press conference Wednesday.

Deal said he would find "a pathway forward for the elimination of sales tax on jet fuel, which is non-negotiable."

Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle, a Republican who is running for governor, said earlier in the week that companies can't "attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back.".

Delta has yet to respond publicly to the lawmakers.

Delta, headquartered in Atlanta, is one of the state's largest employers. Democrats in other states took the opportunity to invite the airline to do business with them instead.

"Virginia is for lovers and airline hubs," Virginia Governor Ralph Northam said on Twitter. "You're welcome here any time."