On 93rd Anniversary of the Founding of Delta Airlines, Georgia Democrats Call on Cagle, Kemp to Put Working Families Over Politics

RELEASE for Wednesday, May 30 2018.

Contact:    
Eric Gray
Communications Director
Democratic Party of Georgia
(678) 278-2016 ext. 302

Cagle, Kemp Consistently Choose Special Interests Over Georgia Businesses

GEORGIA — On the 93th Anniversary of the founding of Delta Airlines, Georgia Democratic Party Chair DuBose Porter, Lieutenant Governor Candidate Sarah Riggs Amico, Congressman Hank Johnson, State Senator Valencia Seay, State Representative Derrick Jackson, State Representative Debra Bazemore, and Georgia AFL-CIO President Charlie Flemming stood together to call on the Republican Gubernatorial candidates to immediately cease extremist rhetoric that threatens to push employers away from the state and work with Delta Airlines and other Georgia employers to ensure that Georgia remains “the best state in America to do business.”

Earlier this year, both Cagle and Kemp bent over backwards to appease the NRA by threatening Delta Airlines, Georgia’s largest employer, for ending a discount program for NRA members directly following the horrific Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.

Casey Cagle tweeted “I will kill any tax legislation that benefits Delta unless the company changes its position”.

Brian Kemp followed up by saying “It’s time for the Georgia Senate to kill the tax break for Delta and replace it with a sales tax holiday that benefits the same 2nd Amendment supporters that Delta – and other corporate cowards – are publicly shaming.”

With campaign ads pointing shotguns at teenagers and both candidates willing to put special interests over Georgia business, it is abundantly clear that there is only one candidate in this race that will keep Georgia open for all businesses.

“Once we have elected the next governor, Stacey Abrams, you will also have a partner under that gold dome. My point here is very simple: where we are open for business, when we continue to say we’re the number one state to do business, the last five years, other Fortune 500 companies need to know that we are open for business. And Delta can be a true testament to that,” said State Representative Derrick Jackson. “It is the reason that they’ve been here as long as they have. Let’s turn Georgia blue, and show them why we are the number one state to do business.”

“You’re going to hear a lot of talk from Mr. Cagle and Mr. Kemp with regards to being the number one state for business, but as the president of the AFL-CIO, I am excited that the candidates that we are supporting believe that there should be two Georgias: one, a state that can always be number one, but also a state where workers can thrive,” said Georgia AFL-CIO President Charlie Flemming. “Leader Abrams has said that your beginning should not dictate where you end up. That every Georgian should have the opportunity to prosper and raise their families and have good education, all of the things that we like as workers.”

“Over 33,000 families depend upon Delta Airlines, not only for a paycheck, but for the benefits and career path that put their family on path to the American Dream. And the Democratic Party of Georgia understands that the preservation of that access to the American Dream is essential, not only to our employers but to the people of Georgia as well and unlike our Republican counterparts, who played politics with Delta’s tax credits in the State Senate this year with a tussle with the NRA, the Democratic Party of Georgia and the candidates that you see represented here today know that we will always put the people of Georgia first before any special interest,” said Georgia Lieutenant Governor Nominee Sarah Riggs Amico.

“People across the nation see the shenanigans that are being played by Republicans who aspire to the highest offices in GA. I think that Georgians know we can do a lot better than that. We can do a lot better than that with people like Stacey Abrams and Sarah Riggs Amico. The question is, do we want to have a Georgia of shotgun pullers or a Georgia of job makers and job creators?”  said Georgia Congressman Hank Johnson.

“We should never put a special interest before family, especially when Delta has been here for 93 years,” said State Senator Valencia Seay.

“I want to congratulate Delta. Ninety-three years in the community…  My daughter works for Delta, and she has two children, my grandchildren. So if Cagle and Kemp want to play politics and take away from Delta, it is going affect so many families, so many lives…” Georgia State Representative Debra Bazemore.

“Other Fortune 500 companies need to know that we are open for business. And Delta can be a true testament to that,” said State Representative Derrick Jackson. “It is the reason that they’ve been here as long as they have. Let’s turn Georgia blue, and show them why we are the number one state to do business.”

Gubernatorial Nominee Stacey Abrams has committed to building an economy in Georgia where every Georgian has the freedom and opportunity to thrive. Under Abrams leadership, Georgia will be a place where business can thrive in all 159 counties. To view Abrams’ plans to build a diverse and effective economy and help small businesses thrive, click here and here.

To view video from today’s event, click here.

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