Former senator escorted off plane for disruption

NEW YORK — Former U.S. Sen. Alfonse D’Amato of New York was escorted off a plane for making a commotion after a 6½-hour delay.

The incident occurred Monday night in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

A witness told the New York Post that passengers were already cranky when the JetBlue crew asked people who’d paid for extra legroom to switch seats because of weight and balance issues.

The 79-year-old Republican ex-senator was in a regular seat and led a chant, “Make them move.”

Video shows D’Amato saying, “They’re throwing me off the plane because I complained about what they were doing.”

D’Amato’s spokesman says he was sleepdeprived after visiting an ailing friend.