Trump FIFA scandal echoes of secret call that ties him to Epstein's world: biographer

Per Harvie's attorneys, the probe "was about problems related to contracts, unions, and a Pennsylvania school district," and Harvie himself was never a subject of the investigation.

“Brian Fitzpatrick’s lies are intended to deceive the voters, and that’s a disgrace to this district,” said Harvie in a public statement.

Pennsylvania's 1st Congressional District, centered in suburban Bucks County on the outskirts of the Philadelphia metropolitan area, has long been a competitive seat, although Fitzpatrick, long considered a moderate Republican, has held it for years and fended off all Democratic challenges.

Recently, Fitzpatrick, who has often criticized President Donald Trump, told Punchbowl News' Jake Sherman that he would consider ditching party labels and running for re-election as an independent if it weren't for Pennsylvania's closed primary system.

Isaacman "sought permission from the Federal Aviation Administration to fly the jets in the aerial review, according to a public notice the agency later released," said the report. "Hugh J. Thomas, a 24-year agency veteran who now directs its Flight Standards Service, determined that the jets were too risky to fly over a densely populated area," warning, “A single system failure will render the aircraft uncontrollable.”

The FAA refused to alter its decision after an appeal, as Duffy agreed with the FAA's ruling — but then Trump stepped in, and "the official White House X account posted a video previewing the plan for Isaacman to fly in the parade — seen as a nod in his favor."

NASA then classified the jets as "public use" on an ad hoc basis, getting around FAA restrictions. "By that point, it was too late for most of the planned VIP passengers to join the ride. But Blanche still wanted to participate," said the report — and after he mentioned his disappointment to Trump, the president "encouraged him to go," per an insider source.

Isaacman is a close ally of right-wing tech trillionaire Elon Musk, and Trump's initial withdrawal of his nomination to NASA — later reversed — was a big part of the two men's falling out last year.

Stavridis suggested that the strikes came after the Trump administration "just got tired" of Iranian attacks on merchant shipping, which must have been "a bridge too far." He described the Trump administration's retaliation as "a pretty strong set of strikes for this stage" in negotiations for a ceasefire, but Stavridis held out hope.

"Let's hope the Iranians kind of get the signal here and stand down from striking merchant shipping," Stavridis said. "Bottom line, the ceasefire can still be salvaged."

However, Stavridis described the ceasefire as being on "life support."

Former GOP congressman Adam Kinzinger, who appeared on CNN alongside Stavridis, agreed with Stavridis, even though "this has kind of been the way from the first so-called ceasefire." Kinzinger argued the first ceasefire only gave the U.S. time to negotiate the memorandum of understanding that was meant to stop hostilities.

"Now, the Trump administration has a decision to make," Kinzinger said. "And that decision is simply, you have to basically escalate to try to compel some answer or some negotiation that actually works out, or do you just walk away and give Iran the Strait [of Hormuz]? Basically walk away from the nuclear material?"