Watch: John Fetterman’s heated airplane spat caught on camera



A resurfaced video from February has people looking at Democrat Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman.

Video footage captures him arguing with the pilot on an American Airlines flight from Washington, D.C., to Pittsburgh over a seatbelt issue.

Pat Gray plays the clip.

In the video, the pilot asks if Fetterman has his seatbelt on, to which he responds, “Yes, it is.”

“Okay, it needs to be visible for the crew at all times. That’s not an us thing; it’s a federal regulation,” the pilot added, offering a seatbelt extender for comfort.

Fetterman, however, refused to comply, culminating in a tense exchange.

“If you want to go to Pittsburgh, it’s simple, you’re going to have to follow our instructions or be asked to get off the airplane,” the exasperated pilot says.

It’s unclear whether or not Fetterman eventually complied, as the video ends abruptly.

Although the spat happened in February, it gained attention after New York magazine published an article on May 2 about concerns regarding Fetterman’s mental health. The piece referred to the airplane incident as an example of his alleged erratic behavior, prompting the video to go viral.

“I mean, nobody got out of control, which is good,” says Pat, calling the regulation “obnoxious.”

“Kudos to John Fetterman. He didn't drop the ‘do you know who I am’ card,” says Keith Malinak.

The panel is mostly just celebrating that the incident happened on an American Airlines flight — which they prefer to call “unAmerican Airlines.”

“Put that in your pipe and smoke it,” laughs Pat.

To see the video footage of Fetterman’s airplane tiff, watch the episode above.

Want more from Pat Gray?

To enjoy more of Pat's biting analysis and signature wit as he restores common sense to a senseless world, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

‘Accident Waiting To Happen’: Feds Ignored DC Death Trap For Years Despite Dozens Of Near Misses With Planes, Choppers

'Accident Waiting To Happen': Feds Ignored DC Death Trap For Years Despite Dozens Of Near Misses With Planes, Choppers

Trump, Vance Suggest DEI Contributed To DC Plane Crash

President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance referenced DEI incompetence as a possible factor in Wednesday's aviation disaster.

DC authorities suspect no survivors of deadly midair collision; haunting air traffic control audio released



A PSA Airlines plane operating an American Airlines flight collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C.'s Ronald Reagan National Airport on Wednesday evening. After generating a large fireball over the Potomac River, the remains of both aircraft dropped into the frigid waters.

As authorities do not expect to find any survivors amid the ice and debris, rescue efforts have given way to recovery efforts.

The Federal Aviation Administration, which has launched a joint investigation into the deadly incident with the National Transportation Safety Board, confirmed that American Eagle Flight 5342 en route from Wichita, Kansas, a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet, collided midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to runway 33 at the airport just before 8:50 p.m. local time.

There were 60 passengers and four crew members on board Flight 5342. Three service members were aboard the helicopter, which the Pentagon indicated was out of Ford Belvoir, Virginia.

'Tower, did you see that?'

Flight surveillance data indicated that the helicopter, apparently on a training flight, was heading south along the District side of the river prior to the collision, reported the Washington Post. The plane was several hundred feet above the water when it came into contact with the Army helicopter.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy indicated during a press conference Thursday morning that the helicopter and the plane were both in a "standard flight pattern" and that based on what he has seen so far, the collision was "absolutely" preventable.

Air traffic control audio has emerged capturing the final communications between the tower and the doomed helicopter as well as observers' reactions in the immediate aftermath.

In one clip released on LiveATC.net, a repository of of air traffic audio recordings, an air traffic controller can be heard saying around the 17:30-minute mark, "PAT25, do you have CRJ in sight? PAT25, pass behind the CRJ."

The aviator in another aircraft can be heard chiming in moments later, "Tower, did you see that?"

An air traffic controller proceeded to direct planes to circumnavigate runway 33.

'This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented.'

At the time of the collision, one air traffic controller can reportedly be heard in a recording saying, "Crash, crash, crash, this is an alert three."

In another clip, an air traffic controller states, "Both the helicopter and the plane crashed into the river. It's east of the approach end of runway 33," later adding, "All runways are closed. Nobody's landing. No one is moving at all."

"I just saw a fireball, and then it was just gone," continued the air traffic controller. "I haven't seen anything since they hit the river, but it was a CRJ and a helicopter that hit. I would say maybe a half-mile off the approach end of 33."

"We are now at a point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation," D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly said at the Thursday press conference. "We don't believe there are any survivors from this accident."

Donnelly noted that the bodies of 27 people from the plane and one person from the helicopter have been recovered so far.

U.S. Figure Skating told the Post that several members of its skating community were aboard the commercial airliner when it crashed. The likely victims, including athletes, coaches, and family members, were on their way home from the National Development Camp held in Wichita in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

"We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims' families closely in our hearts," said the statement.

President Donald Trump responded to the crash just after midnight, suggesting that something about the incident did not compute.

"The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn't the helicopter go up or down, or turn[?]" the president wrote on Truth Social. "Why didn't the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane[?] This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!"

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A major legal victory over woke investment



A federal judge in Texas granted a victory Friday to American Airlines pilots suing the company for sacrificing the profitability of their 401(k) fund to pursue liberal causes.

It’s a potentially major blow in a long battle against political investing, called ESG (or environmental, social, and governance). And it paves the way for battles against BlackRock and other globe-dominating businesses that funnel trillions of Americans’ retirement and investment dollars toward left-wing causes. More, it demonstrates how the political catastrophe that has befallen corporate governance these past five years can be undone — by the same tool with which it was made.

We stumbled into this morass through risk aversion at the top. By risk aversion it must be undone.

The judge found that American Airlines violated its fiduciary duty of loyalty to the pilots. It comes on the heels of the same judge deciding that the class action can include every pilot who joined the 401(k) since 2017. That’s more than 100,000 people. The judge also found that American Airlines acted within the industry standards at the time, meaning the company did not violate its fiduciary duty of prudence.

“Industry standard” indeed. BlackRock, the firm American Airlines allowed to manage its $26 billion plan, essentially dominates the retirement plan industry, managing $11.5 trillion in assets globally. It is one of the most powerful firms on the planet, but that doesn't mean the company is a friend of the American dream. These are the guys literally buying up every affordable starter house across the country they can, turning would-be owners into permanent renters. The company says it doesn’t buy individual family homes, which is true — it buys the companies that do. While BlackRock isn’t named as a plaintiff in the Texas case, the implications are clear.

The surest way to defeat and destroy woke corporate politics is through litigation and the threat of litigation. We stumbled into this morass through risk aversion at the top. By risk aversion it must be undone.

Attorney General Bill Barr understood this well. In the final days of the first Trump administration, his Department of Justice issued memoranda warning corporations that that weighing race in their decisions could run afoul of the Civil Rights Act. In other words, you can’t punish people for being white, no matter how popular it is at the moment.

This was a real problem. If you believe the statistics from the peak woke years, white men made up only 6% of corporate hires. That’s overt discrimination in hiring practices.

Legal routes are so much more effective than shame, because human resources departments and others completely dominated by 20- and 30-something left-wing activists are hard to manage, even for top company executives. Few things are more ominous than being accused of racism, sexism, or anti-LGBT bias in corporate America, a fear even corporate directors share. Those directors need a way to say “no” loudly and clearly the next time they’re told to stop hiring white men.

Do you know what changes their calculus? Lawyers, lawsuits, and money. Few things would turn the tide quicker than a Justice Department punishing anti-white-male bias for four-plus years, along with an anonymous tip line bringing the force of investigation down on corporations. If the directors won’t shut down the left-wing crusaders in their midst, litigation will.

That’s why the Texas decision is so noteworthy. There’s plenty of road left for the pilots’ class action (and others), but the implications are clear. ESG investing is no longer a safe space. Corporate directors and state officials looking to invest their 401(k)s will all be looking at their own vulnerability — and pushing back on companies like BlackRock that expose them to potential liability. The real battle is going to be in employment, but that’s still big news, even if it isn’t over.

Bedford, July 2021: Corporations like BlackRock are steamrolling small business, buying up homes, and crushing the dream, but we can fight back

Federalist Radio Hour: Can we rescue the American dream from bully corporations?

Sign up for Bedford’s newsletter
Sign up to get Blaze Media senior politics editor Christopher Bedford's newsletter.

THE FIRE RISES

CITY JOURNAL: Trump should abolish the federal mental health agency

People have a habit of assuming the changes all around us are naturally occurring. We grumble when there’s a sudden and clear increase in drug-addicted and mentally ill homeless menacing commuters and taking over public spaces, but we rarely wonder, “Is someone actively doing this? Is someone paying for this outcome because they want it? Am I paying for this outcome?” Sometimes it is just natural. But this one is not. Carolyn D. Gorman reports:

...The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the federal mental health agency ... was created in 1992 to “reduce the impact of ... mental illness on America’s communities” and to target services to people “most in need.” The agency has failed on both counts. People with serious mental illnesses, like schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, remain disproportionately represented among the homeless, incarcerated, and violent criminal populations. Mental illness has been a factor in nearly all of the deadliest mass shootings, including Sandy Hook, Viriginia Tech, Parkland, Aurora, Uvalde, El Paso, Sutherland Springs, Charleston, Oregon, Navy Yard, Binghamton, Killeen, Lewiston, Austin, Edmond, Pittsburgh, Santa Fe, Boulder, Dayton, Omaha, and Indianapolis — to name only a few.

The agency has not only failed to reduce the impact of mental illness in American life but also has undermined proven solutions by derailing resources from high-quality, intensive psychiatric treatment and advocating against involuntary commitment. Consider SAMHSA’s Protection and Advocacy (PAIMI) Program. The agency claims the program “is intended to protect and advocate for the rights” for people with serious mental illness, but in practice, it often directs funds to lawyers seeking to prevent needed hospitalizations. This can have disastrous results, as it did in 2006, when a mentally ill man named William Bruce killed his mother with a hatchet after SAMHSA-funded lawyers reportedly coached him on how to avoid involuntary treatment.

The federal mental health agency is also a hub for progressive activism. Seemingly any left-wing priority can win SAMHSA support if proponents claim that addressing it would reduce “trauma” or improve “mental well-being.” Billions of taxpayer dollars have been hijacked for things like “non-traditional holistic support” for “LGBTQI+” families; “affirming, comprehensive care” for “unhoused LGBTQ+ youth”; employee trainings and agency publications on “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, [and] Accessibility”; bulletins on the behavioral health effects of climate change; “Keep it Safe but Sexy” harm-reduction sessions for the “incarcerated and post-incarcerated socially disenfranchised”; and pop psychology-inspired social-emotional learning programs ...

A nail in DEI's coffin: American Airlines suspends diversity, equity, and inclusion hiring policies



Another nail was put in DEI’s coffin last week with American Airline’s announcement that it will end DEI hiring and employment practices.

The decision comes after America First Legal, a conservative watchdog organization, filed a federal civil rights complaint against American Airlines for discriminatory employment practices that violate federal contracting requirements.

"Despite receiving over $140 million in federal government contracts since 2008 and promising in accordance with Executive Order 11246 that it will not discriminate in hiring, promotion, or employee training because of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, American Airlines has explicitly engaged in race and sex discrimination in hiring programs, Cadet Academy recruitment, and promotional processes," AFL reported.

On Tuesday, the organization tweeted the following:

To hear Dave Rubin’s commentary on the announcement, watch the clip below.

Want more from Dave Rubin?

To enjoy more honest conversations, free speech, and big ideas with Dave Rubin, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

Mother suing American Airlines over son's heart attack death during flight, alleging defibrillator was faulty and crew unprepared



A New York City mother filed a federal lawsuit against American Airlines over the 2022 death of her 14-year-old son. The suit alleges that the plane's onboard defibrillator did not function correctly and accuses the flight crew of being unprepared and not being properly trained to use the medical equipment.

Melissa Arzu and her son were on American Airlines flight 614 from Honduras to Miami after enjoying a family summer vacation. During the flight, her son suddenly experienced a medical emergency.

Her 14-year-old son, Kevin Greenidge, allegedly lost consciousness shortly after takeoff.

The lawsuit – filed in federal court in Fort Worth, Texas, where American Airlines is headquartered – alleged that the flight crew was "delayed in responding" to Greenidge's medical episode.

The lawsuit claims that crewmembers "eventually attempted to use" the plane's automated external defibrillator, but they were "either unable to properly operate the machine or the machine did not function properly."

The suit alleges that the crew was not properly trained on how to use the type of AED that was on the flight.

The flight made an emergency landing in Cancun, Mexico. Greenidge was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The New York Post reported that Kevin had been diagnosed with asthma and type 2 diabetes prior to his death, and that his primary cause of death was listed as "myocardial infarction" — commonly known as a heart attack.

The lawsuit claims that Greenidge's chances of survival would have "vastly" increased if the flight had a functioning AED that the crew knew how to use.

"After Kevin died, I never heard from American Airlines," Arzu said. "It made me feel hopeless. I want answers from American Airlines. I want American Airlines to take full responsibility for Kevin’s death. I never want this to happen to a child or family again."

American Airlines told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "Our thoughts are with Mr. Greenridge’s loved ones. We are going to decline further comment given this matter involves pending litigation."

Hannah Crowe, the attorney representing Arzu, said, "The loss of a child is truly unimaginable, and the facts of this case are horrendous. Multiple eyewitnesses confirm that American Airlines flight personnel were slow to respond and not able to operate the AED machine, which appeared not to work."

Crowe alleged, "After Kevin died, the equipment went missing. Did someone at American intentionally destroy it? Is it defective, but back out in service? These are all really serious violations of the federal laws that are in place to protect passengers."

The lawsuit also claims that American Airlines failed to submit an advance payment of $113,100 for the sudden death of the teen, as per the company’s policy regarding the death of a passenger while on board.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

American Airlines sued after 14-year-old dies www.youtube.com

Video: Airline passenger makes it brutally clear to race-baiting bigot that his nonsense won't fly



The American flying experience is shadowed not only by the threat of structural breakdown but also of social breakdown. Fortunately, there are remedies for both.

In the case of a recent American Airlines flight set to take off from Tampa, Florida, for Philadelphia, the remedy apparently took the form of a hulking off-duty cop with an apparent zero-tolerance policy for nonsense.

American Airlines flight 2506 was scheduled to depart Tampa International Airport Tuesday afternoon. However, a physical altercation broke out during boarding, resulting in a 30-minute delay, reported the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The incident, which was captured on video, appears to have started when an individual in a blue-striped shirt was asked to disembark and refused to do so.

A male flight attendant can be seen calmly asking the unruly passenger to comply. The passenger threatens the flight attendant, then returns to his seat.

After suggesting that the flight attendants were ganging up on him, the unruly passenger twice hurls anti-Semitic remarks, calling the male attendant a "k**e" and "k**e human."

This was Tuesday. Part 1 of 3. \ud83d\udc47\n\n\u201cYou as a k*** human\u201d
— (@)

The bigot evidently attracts the interest of at least one other passenger, who appears to recommend that he get off the plane.

"You want to be a tough guy, bro?" says the unruly passenger. "You're all teaming up. See how most of the people are white here?"

The unruly passenger tells the female flight attendant, "I'm trying to get to my home country, and you all people made it harder for me to get to my home country. I'm telling you, I'm telling you."

— (@)

Having sapped the goodwill in the airplane, the unruly passenger decides to get physical with a brawny man in a blue-hooded shirt and baseball hat.

"They want to see you up front, cos. Go up to the front," says the man in blue. "C'mon, c'mon."

No longer dealing with timid flight attendants, the unruly passenger's demeanor appears to shift. He calls the man in blue "big guy," then asks, "You gonna touch me?"

The man in blue indicates he is not interested in a physical confrontation, even as the unruly passenger shouts in his face.

As the female flight attendant calls for support, the unruly passenger takes a step in the right direction but pivots, approaching the man in blue, aggressively yelling, "You touch me, fool?"

The man in blue defensively pushes the bigot back; however, the unruly passenger swiftly closes the distance, attacking the man in blue and pushing him rearward into other people standing in the aisle.

The man in blue makes quick work out of the unruly passenger, putting him in a headlock.

"Now put your hands down and don't touch anybody," yells the man in blue.

A woman off camera can be heard announcing, "I'm a police officer.

The man in blue responds, "So am I."

"Turn around and walk," says the man in blue to the bigot.

With the help of the other self-identified cop, the man in blue successfully escorts the unruly passenger off the plane to the sound of applause.

Part 3 of 3. The Grand Finale.\ud83d\udc47\n\nCan we hire the guy in the blue hoodie to work the front lines of the soon-to-be-created deportation task force?
— (@)

The Tampa International Airport Police Department indicated that police arrested the unruly passenger just before 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. He was reportedly charged with disorderly intoxication and two counts of battery.

American Airlines told the Inquirer that law enforcement had been requested to the aircraft "due to a disturbance in the cabin involving a disruptive customer." According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the incident involved two passengers who got into a tussle during boarding.

"We thank our team for their professionalism and apologize to our customers for the inconvenience," said the airline.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Indiana mother of two, 41, dies suddenly on diverted American Airlines flight from Dominican Republic



An Indiana mother of two died suddenly after falling ill on an American Airlines flight headed to the United States that was forced to be diverted.

The unidentified 41-year-old woman was traveling on Wednesday from Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, on American Airlines Flight 2790 to Charlotte, North Carolina. The woman became violently ill during the flight.

Shortly after 6 p.m., the woman from central Indiana was given CPR on the commercial airplane. The plane was diverted to the Providenciales International Airport on the Caribbean island of Turks and Caicos for emergency medical help.

However, the woman suddenly died, according to police.

"A medical team, along with police units, were dispatched, and the patient was transported to Cheshire Hall Medical Centre, where she died," the Royal Turks and Caicos Island Police Force said in a press release.

Turks and Caicos authorities said a post-mortem examination will be conducted to determine the cause of the woman's sudden death.

American Airlines told Fox News that the flight flew to Charlotte the following day.

According to the outlet, a woman on Facebook identified the passenger as her sister-in-law.

"This was my sister-in-law," said the woman from Indiana named Stephanie Quinn. "We are in disbelief and our hearts are breaking."

"The only girl out of 5 siblings, so you can imagine how protected she was by those boys," Quinn alleged. "Mother of 2 beautiful children with big hearts and straight A's at school. Now my nephew won't have his mom at his graduation in May."

Quinn wrote to the Royal Turks and Caicos Island Police Force, "She is still down there so please take good care of her as she ventures home."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

WTF: US patron booted from American Airlines flight to make room for illegal immigrant



U.S. children are being kicked out of schools to make room for illegal immigrants. Airports and other spaces are being repurposed to house illegal immigrants. American taxpayer dollars are being used to provide care and resources for illegal immigrants.

You get the picture: illegal immigrants > American citizens.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the pattern will shift anytime soon, at least while Biden remains in office.

“I could not believe what I was watching this morning when I was on Twitter,” says Sara Gonzales before playing a clip of the local news report she stumbled across.

“Airline passengers are advised to check in with your Airlines mobile app as soon as possible — up to 24 hours in advance — and arrive at the airport with at least two hours before your plane takes off. That's because asylum seekers illegally released by the Department of Homeland Security are waiting on standby for seats, and if you aren't at the boarding gate when agents start to fill empty seats, you could be bumped,” a reporter warned.

She goes on to tell the story of one patron who “had trouble checking in on the American Airlines app” but still “arrived at the airport an hour before his flight” only to find out “had been bumped from the flight.”

Sara, who’s outraged by the situation, has witnessed firsthand how illegal immigrants are given priority at airports (and everywhere else).

“They get priority through TSA ... they get to take your seat on the plane, and then they get to come to a city near you where they get to keep your kids out of school because they get a cot in your kids’ school,” she says, referring to the many incidents of American children being forced out of school to house illegal immigrants.

“The state has to be paying these airlines in some capacity,” adds BlazeTV contributor Eric July. “That’s the only reason they would bump somebody off of a plane ... They’re getting their pockets lined."

In addition to Americans being treated as second-class citizens, there’re also serious implications to consider as the 2024 presidential election draws nearer.

“What does a legitimate election even look like with 50/60/70 million illegal immigrants in your country?” asks Blaze Media digital strategist Logan Hall.

To hear more of the conversation, watch the clip below.


Want more from Sara Gonzales?

To enjoy more of Sara's no-holds-barred take to news and culture, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.