US state officials offer Delta new home amid NRA blowback

Several state officials Tuesday offered Delta a new place to call home after a Georgia legislator said he would kill lucrative tax benefits to the Atlanta-based carrier as retribution for its decision to sever ties with the NRA. Officials from Virginia, Washington, New York and Ohio have volunteered their states to headquarter Delta after the carrier faced some public outcry for ending its relationship with the NRA in the wake of the recent Florida school shooting. "Any state would be lucky to call itself the home of Delta headquarters," Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan, a Democrat, wrote in an open letter to Delta CE Ed Bastian. "Hey @Delta—Virginia is for lovers and airline hubs. You're welcome here any time," Virginia Governor, Democrat Ralph Northam, wrote on Twitter to his 125,000 followers. On Monday, Georgia Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle, a Republican, wrote on Twitter he would "kill any tax legislation" that benefits Delta, unless the carrier reinstated its relationship with the NRA, which advocates for the Second Amendment right for Americans to bear arms. "Corporations cannot attack conservatives and expect us not to fight back," Cagle wrote. Delta is one of Georgia's largest private employers with 33,000 employees statewide. The Georgia legislator is considering a jet fuel sales tax exemption designed to benefit Delta that would save the airline some $40m per year.<br/>