Trump stops GOP fight for Nev. seat
President Donald Trump ended a nasty intraparty duel Friday by persuading a Republican running a populist, unabashedly pro-Trump campaign to abandon his effort to unseat Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., this year.
The challenger, Danny Tarkanian, said he would seeka Nevada House seat instead, removing a major headache for GOP strategists who are looking to preserveor even expand theone-seat Republican Senate majority in November’ s mid term elections. A competitive GOP primary wouldhave boosted Democrats who are hoping to snatch the seat.
Mr. Tarkanian said in a statement Friday that Mr. Trump “and members of his political team” approached him Wednesday and asked him to make the switch.
Lawyer: Daniels threatened
The porn star who claims tohave had an affair with President Donald Trump was physically threatened to remain silent, her lawyer said Friday.
Stormy Daniels’ attorney, Michael Avenatti, did not provide details of the alleged threat, or say who made it, but told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” that his client — whose real name is Stephanie Clifford — wants to “tell her story.”
Asked if Ms. Daniels was physically threatened, Mr. Avenatti responded “yes.” He did not say when the alleged threats took place.
‘Open-door’ flights banned
NEWYORK — The Federal Aviation Administration banned “open-door” helicopter flights involving restraints that can’t be quickly released in the wake of the East River crash that killed five sightseers Sunday night.
The agency, which oversees aircraft regulations, ordered the nationwide ban Friday, after questions were raised about the harnesses that were used in the fatal flight. FAA officials also ordered the industry and its pilots to take action to mitigate the risk.
New York City Fire Department officials said a central factor in the deaths may have been that the passengers could not escape their harnesses when the Liberty Helicopter chopper went into the water. Pilot Richard Vance was able to escape his and was the sole survivor of the flight.
Identity theft sentence
A Nigerian man was sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison on Friday for pleading guilty to participating in a massive identity-theft ring that is being prosecuted in Erie.
The 24 defendants were accused of using the stolen identities to get federal tax returns in the millions of dollars, some of which was funneled to Nigeria.
Thecase was filed in U.S. DistrictCourt in Erie becausestaff at Erie’s Widget Financialdetected suspectedfraudulent attempts toopen accounts and alertedthe FBI in 2012.
Wolves population plan
WASHINGTON— The National Park Service on Friday formally moved forward with its proposal to put 20 to 30 wolves on Isle Royale in Lake Superior over three years to bolster the nearly extinct population on the island and cull the growing herd of moose.
The Park Service made the announcement that it had completed a final Environmental Impact Statement announcing the plan on Friday, with a Record of Decision to follow after a monthlong waiting period.