'Your World' on Florida condo collapse, US-Iranian relations

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Man concludes he won't see his mom and grandma again after Florida building collapse

Pablo Rodriguez shares his story with 'Your World' as his mother and grandmother are still reported missing.

This is a rush transcript from "Your World with Neil Cavuto," June 28, 2021. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

CHARLES PAYNE, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: We are live in, Surfside, Florida, where the questions are mounting, as the search is continuing for victims of the Florida condo collapse, as family members search for answers.

We're going to speak with Pablo Rodriguez. His mother and grandmother are still unaccounted for. He says his mom heard a large creaking noise just prior to the collapse. And, today, his comments are getting a lot of attention.

Welcome, everyone. I'm Charles Payne, in for Neil Cavuto, and this is "Your World."

First to Phil Keating in Surfside, Florida, with the very latest -- Phil.

PHIL KEATING, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Charles.

Today is day five of this round-the-clock search-and-rescue operation. The building is behind me. What's left of the Champlain Towers South, that brown building that you can see there. On the other side of it, that's where the pile of rubble, all pancaked concrete, is. And that's, of course, where the hunt for survivors continues.

But no survivors have been found in the rubble since early last Thursday morning, just shortly after the building partially collapsed. The search- and-rescue operation is intense. It is massive. All eight state of Florida urban search-and-rescue teams are here in Surfside.

And this is an around-the-clock operation. One more body was recovered today, on top of the for more body found Sunday, bringing the confirmed death toll to 10, nine of them identified, with 151 people still unaccounted for.

This remains a search-and-rescue situation. It's still not a -- quote -- "recovery situation." But everyone is well aware that the window of survivability is shrinking.

Over the weekend, crews on the scene dug a 40-foot trench in the pancaked pile, hoping to find some voids and gaps where somebody might be able to breathe and survive, but the results so far not as hoped. Voids have been found, but no survivors have been discovered.

As has been the case every day, the county mayor, the governor and congresswoman who represents Surfside addressed the media and the public, updating the numbers and updating everything being done to aid families and find survivors.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANIELLA LEVINE CAVA (D), MAYOR OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA: We are exploring all possible avenues that they identify. We're going to continue and work ceaselessly to exhaust every possible option in our search.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEATING: Over the weekend, a big red flag emerged, the city of Surfside releasing a report by a structural engineer from three years ago who inspected the building and warned of major structural damage that must be addressed, like cracks in the concrete, support columns and a major design flaw, in that the underground parking garage was not poured in a way to allow rainwater to properly drain.

Well, on Sunday, as well as today, buses carrying family members of those who live in the condo tower drove to the site of what was a 12-story building, so they could see for themselves up close the tragic scene and the massive rescue effort under way.

As for President Biden coming to Surfside, no plan as of now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: In terms of a visit by the president, we always assess -- we always want to ensure that we're not pulling from local resources, and we don't want to draw resources that are needed and the ongoing search-and-rescue operations and efforts.

We will remain in close contact with officials on the ground. And, certainly, if there's a trip to preview or announce to all of you, I will be ready to do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEATING: Like I mentioned, all eight urban search-and-rescue teams from the whole state have now been assigned and descended on Surfside to help in the search-and-rescue operation.

It's a round-the-clock operation, 12-hour shifts for the teams. And the county mayor, because of this, has now ordered an audit. And every building older than 40 years, such as this one, now must be inspected for any structural damage, because nobody wants what happened here early Thursday morning to ever happen again -- Charles.

Thanks, Phil.

Pablo Rodriguez, whose mother and grandmother were in the building at the time, telling Neil on "Cavuto Live" that his mom heard a loud noise the night before the collapse. Around

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PABLO RODRIGUEZ, FAMILY MEMBER OF MISSING RESIDENTS: Around 7:00 the night before it happened, I talked to her.

And one of the things that she had said was that she woke up that morning around 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning because she heard some creepy noises woke her up.

She wasn't able to go back and sleep afterwards. She didn't really think it was to the level that the building was going to fall down, but she didn't mention it. And I kind of shrugged it off at the time as well.

And then the very next day, the building fell.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAYNE: We're going to speak with -- be speaking with Mr. Rodriguez later in the show.

Meanwhile, The Miami Herald is reporting that a building official was given a disturbing report on major structural damage to the building, but was told -- but told residents, rather, that it was in very good shape.

Well, now come the lawsuits. At least two lawsuits have reportedly been filed in connection with this partial collapse.

With me now, John Pavia. He is a Quinnipiac law adjunct professor.

And, John, I know it's early in the process, but already two lawsuits. What are we looking at?

JOHN PAVIA, QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY: Charles, sorry. I'm having trouble with the audio. Was that directed to me?

PAYNE: Yes, sir.

The lawsuits have begun. We have one lawsuit, apparently, just with one individual, and another, $5 million class-action lawsuits. Where do we go from here?

I think we're having trouble with John's -- with John hearing me right now. We will continue to try to reach him.

But, for now, just to catch you up, there are two lawsuits, one by Steven Rosenthal. He lived in unit 705. And another one, a $5 million class-action lawsuit filed by Manuel Drezner. And, apparently, there obviously, in a situation like, probably will be more.

All right, with the search and -- for the mother and grandmother of Pablo Rodriguez and so many others still going on, Pablo is going to be with us later in the show and tell us what he's hearing from officials right now.

Oh, Pavia. I'm sorry. John, you with us?

PAVIA: You're going in and out. I apologize. Can you hear me?

PAYNE: I can hear you, John.

Can you tell us what you know of these lawsuits so far?

All right, I think maybe we should -- yes, well, we're going to go to break, and we will come back and see if we can get John.

In the meantime, the U.S. launching fresh strikes on Iranian-backed militia both in Iraq and Syria. So, why are we still talking about reentering this Iranian nuclear deal?

We have got Senator Joe Lieberman here, as President Biden meets with Israel's president in this very hour.

Plus, the White House scrambling to do damage control to save that infrastructure deal. We will have the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETER DOOCY, FOX NEWS WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: If they don't come, the two bills together, I'm not signing, real simple.

So, did he change his mind?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAYNE: The White House still doing cleanup after president Joe Biden threatened to take that $1.2 trillion infrastructure deal down.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If they don't come, I'm not signing. Real simple.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAYNE: Well, now he doesn't mean it.

To Peter Doocy on what's actually going on here -- Peter.

DOOCY: Charles, yes, this looks like a veto threat. And it sounds like a veto threat. But the White House is now insisting President Biden was not trying to create the impression he needs to have a separate bill filled with money for childcare and climate change on top of that bipartisan infrastructure deal here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: But if only one comes to me, I'm not -- if this is the only thing that comes to me, I'm not signing it. It's in tandem.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DOOCY: The president cleans that up with this statement: "My comments also created the impression I was issuing a veto threat on the very plan I had just agreed to, which was certainly not my intent."

And that has some Republicans in town wondering what's going on.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TOM COTTON (R-AR): Washington is a place of a lot of bad faith and even double-crossing, but I'm not sure I have ever seen someone double- cross his negotiating partners in the span of just two hours.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DOOCY: And now White House officials won't say what's going to happen if Congress just sends the president one bill that -- the one that some Republicans like, the one for infrastructure with bridges and roads only.

The White House also isn't saying what exactly prompted this weekend's major walk-back.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOOCY: Did he change his mind or did he make a mistake?

PSAKI: I will say, Peter, I know that we're quite focused sometimes on process in here.

I understand that, though the process of a bill becoming a lot is important. But the president intends to sign both pieces of legislation into law.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DOOCY: Officials here are also now doubling down on their recent claims that Republicans have been pushing to defund the police because they didn't support the American Rescue Plan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PSAKI: That funding has been used to keep cops on the beat.

DOOCY: But, at the time, that was sold as these local police departments might have a pandemic-related budget shortfall, not we need to keep cops on the beat because there's a crime wave.

PSAKI: I think that any local department would argue that keeping cops on the beat to keep communities safe when they had to because of budget shortfalls, fired police, is something that helps them address crime in their local communities.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DOOCY: And right after that exchange, some White House officials directed me to comments, one-line comments the president made a handful of times while he was pitching the relief bill, this American Rescue Plan stimulus package for COVID, where he talked about local and state departments having money to rehire police officers and firefighters if there were budget shortfalls.

But White House officials trying to frame the American Rescue Plan as a way to combat the crime wave or as a way to fund the police departments just in case is new -- Charles.

PAYNE: Peter, thank you very much.

Well, President Biden is set to take his infrastructure deal on the road to drum up support. And that means winning over progressives who want more spending.

Let's get to read from FOX News political analyst Gianno Caldwell, Democratic strategist Kristen Hawn, and GOP pollster Lee Carter.

Lee, let me start with you.

That was a quick double -- it was a quick bait and switch, but it was also double -- another quick reversal of that bait and switch. Someone read a poll somewhere.

LEE CARTER, REPUBLICAN POLLSTER: Yes, I think that there's no doubt that they're following the polls.

I mean, the infrastructure bill is one of Biden's most popular bills. Two in three Americans support it. They want to see this happen. He's got to stand firm on this one for him to have a victory, because his polling in every other category outside of COVID is abysmal.

I wouldn't say abysmal. It's just dropping. He's dropping on the economy. He's dropping on immigration. People are feeling unsafe. People about -- how they feel about how he's handling violent crime, that's on the rise, too.

And so he's got a lot of issues that he's got to address. And this is one place that he can have a victory. And so I think he's changing his mind because he knows he needs to go the course here.

PAYNE: Yes, Kristen, I thought it was kind of interesting that the president would box himself in with something everyone agrees they want to do, and against something where you have to get all 50 Democrats in the Senate to agree on.

And that's been pretty tough. That's been pretty difficult sledding. So he changed course. What happens now?

KRISTEN HAWN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Yes, I mean, I think that the White House was clearly walking his comment back a little bit. He did agree with the bipartisan bill, and there are a lot of members in both the House and Senate that want to see a bipartisan infrastructure bill happen.

So there's momentum behind this. With reconciliation, the difficulty here is that you're asking senators like Senator Manchin or Senator Sinema to agree to support something that they haven't necessarily seen what's exactly going to be in it yet.

I'm not sure I get where they're coming from where they're saying that's not really responsible legislating to do that, not -- I'm not putting words in their mouth, but it's a difficult balance that you have to -- we knew this is the way this was going to go with that 50/50 Senate.

So, but Biden is a master legislator. He's worked for years, and I'm confident that they will be able to come up with some sort of deal.

PAYNE: Gianno?

GIANNO CALDWELL, FOX NEWS POLITICAL ANALYST: Master legislator. That's new.

You know, it seems to me that the Democrats have treated bipartisanship as simply a talking point, everybody but Senator Joe Manchin. That is, this is something that is having a hard time right out the gate. Nancy Pelosi just recently said that she is not going to pass this bipartisan bill if it's not going to be accompanied with a Democrat-only bill, which we know is not going to happen with Senator Mitch McConnell at the helm of the party.

So, with this being the case, one must ask, what is it that Joe Biden is really attending? Is he going to allow the progressives in his party and the activists to push him in whatever direction that they want, as they said they would before he was elected? Or is he going to stand up and be a leader and pass an infrastructure bill that's meant for infrastructure?

That's usually what an infrastructure bill is all about, vs. climate change and all these other initiatives Democrats want to push? And that's a tough question for Joe Biden at this particular time.

PAYNE: Lee, also, now the White House seriously on their heels with respect to law and order, crime, this crime wave spiking. Almost every day, you see an image from a major American city, horrifying image that no one can deny.

You know, they did -- they attempted damage control over the weekend on some of these political shows. But you're following this. Is this rising up to become one of the bigger issues in this country right now?

CARTER: There's no doubt about it; 55 percent of Americans say that violent crime is a big problem. Only 36 percent, just by contrast, say that COVID is our biggest problem.

Violent crime is a really big issue; 69 percent of Americans say that they feel, they personally feel that violent crime is increasing. When you have Americans who are afraid about their personal and physical safety, that's a real issue. And the president needs to address it. And he can't pass all of this off on Republicans and gun control, because this isn't just about violent crime when it comes to guns.

Violent crime on all measures in urban centers is increasing, whether it's from assault, other issues that are not related to guns. And so I think he's missing the boat here. People are very concerned. And I think Republicans have a real opportunity to address this with their own policies.

PAYNE: Real quick, Kristen, the gun -- the speech about guns, we have heard it a lot. I'm not sure if people are buying that as a legitimate way of going down and drilling down to what's causing these issues, not what -- not how they're going about them, but what really causes these issues and why they're spiking right now.

HAWN: Yes, I -- having dealt with these issues kind of in the moderate space for the past 20 years, I really believe strongly that it's not one or the other.

You have to look at the causes of these issues. Violent crime is a major problem. You're right. People are very concerned about it, as they should be. In some ways, guns are also part of the problem. So, Congress needs to look at this as a holistic approach, as should the president, to address it in a real, meaningful way.

PAYNE: All right, we got to leave it there. Thank you all very much.

The president, meanwhile, meeting with Israel's president, Reuven Rivlin, this hour. And we will hear from them very soon.

It comes as we launch new strikes against a Iranian-backed militia. So why are we even thinking of striking another Iranian nuclear deal? Joe Lieberman is here on that.

And as another night prepares to fall on Surfside, Florida, loved ones like Pablo Rodriguez are still trying to keep hope alive. He's back with us.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RODRIGUEZ: Until we have official word, we're still trying to hold on to whatever hope remains. But, realistically, we know that they're gone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAYNE: The latest is on for the search of loved ones in the horrific condo collapse.

Pablo Rodriguez is missing his mom and grandma. What is he hearing from officials this hour? Well, we're about to find out.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAYNE: We are awaiting tape playback from President Biden's meeting with Israel's president, Reuven Rivlin, at the White House.

This visit coming after Biden ordered airstrikes targeting Iranian militia groups in Iran -- Iraq, rather, and Syria.

Our Jennifer Griffin reporting militias have just fired rockets at U.S. forces in Syria. And it's all as the White House continues to try and revive the Iranian nuclear deal. Where's all of this going?

Let me bring in former Democratic V.P. nominee Joe Lieberman to weigh in.

Senator Lieberman, what's really interesting is, obviously, we're exchanging fire in Syria with these militia. But even before this, we know that Iran is the sponsor of terrorism throughout the region, that they're racing against the clock for a nuclear weapon, and that they have been emboldened, not only by this new president that they have elected, but I think also by the results of our election.

Just where is going from here?

FMR. SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN (I-CT): Well, it's really an important point, in my opinion, probably the most important question that will determine the security that just of the Middle East, but the U.S. in the years ahead, because Iran remains a hostile anti-American country and just ideologically extremist and supporters of terrorism, as you said.

So I'm troubled, of course. I was against the Iran nuclear agreement that President Obama negotiated. As chairman of United Against Nuclear Iran, I'm very concerned about the Biden administration going back into negotiations.

The Iranians want to remove economic sanctions that bipartisan majorities in Congress have put on them for a years, because they're hurting them. But as soon as they get a few sanctions off that allow their economy to come back, they're going to walk away from the table, because the one thing they don't want to do is give up their nuclear weapons program.

PAYNE: Right.

LIEBERMAN: And I think we have got to be really tough with these negotiations, or we're going to compromise our own security and that of our friends in the Middle East.

PAYNE: Senator, just moments ago, we're getting feedback from this meeting.

President Biden says that Iran will never get a nuclear weapon on his watch. We did -- he did show force against these militia who are backed by Iran in Syria and Iraq. Are you comfortable with that statement? And what do we have to do to prove this, not only to, of course, the American public, but to the rest of the world?

LIEBERMAN: Yes.

So I appreciate the statement that President Biden just made that Iran will never get a nuclear weapon his watch. But, really, the statement that I'd like to hear is, Iran will never get a nuclear weapon, because they're a dangerous anti-American country.

And part of the problem with the Iran nuclear agreement of 2015 was that it kind of put the brakes on their nuclear weapons program for maybe 10 years, maybe a little longer. I think they have been developing it even during the agreement before President Trump thankfully pulled us out of it.

But they have not abandoned their desire for a nuclear weapon. It's got to be never, not -- I appreciate what you said about his watch. Incidentally, Charles, I think one of the important things about this meeting with President Rivlin of Israel and meetings that have occurred, Secretary Blinken and the foreign minister of Israel, conversations between the new prime minister, Bennett, and President Biden, is that America is talking to the Israelis.

The problem with these negotiations in Vietnam with -- excuse me -- in Tehran with the Iranians--

PAYNE: Yes.

LIEBERMAN: -- is that the people who have the most on the line in the outcome of those negotiations, which are the Israelis and our allies in the Arab world, are not at the table.

The least we can do is talk to them about how we're negotiating at the table.

PAYNE: Well, I want to ask you about the this recent election in Iran.

You had Ebrahim Raisi, who was elected. He's a hard-liner. He obviously was hand-selected. There were only seven candidates. Hardly anybody showed up to vote. But, apparently, he is the proxy of the supreme leader. And that sends a message to the rest of the world, doesn't it?

LIEBERMAN: It does.

And it should send a message to the Biden administration that it's going to be even harder to reach an agreement with this Iranian government under Raisi's leadership that is fair to us and that we can bank on.

This man is a real extremist. He presided over the trial, fake trials and execution of thousands of people who rose up against the extremist government of Iran in the late 80s.

I happen to know that he supported the publication and a multipart documentary that was essentially the notorious anti-Semitic Elders of Zion story again. He's a real step back by the Iranian government. And it shows where the mind and heart of the one man who really counts in Iran, the supreme leader, Khamenei, is.

And it doesn't say, to me anyway, that this is a country that we can reasonably negotiate an agreement with.

PAYNE: Yes, Senator Lieberman, thank you very much.

I'm getting word, just -- in just seconds, we will have the Biden playback.

We always appreciate your words of wisdom. Thank you very much, sir.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: Well, I'm really happy to have President Rivlin here. And I don't want to -- it's not technically appropriate, but I -- I'm so delighted his daughter is here. She's in the back right there. And I got to -- I got to meet her and talk about our kids and grandkids and all the like.

At any rate, I just want to thank the president for being here and for your dedication to strengthening the relationship between the United States and Israel.

REUVEN RIVLIN, ISRAELI PRESIDENT: Thank you.

BIDEN: And as the American press here can tell you, my commitment to Israel is -- well, they can't tell you anything actually; they're not supposed to -- but it's ironclad. It's real. It's something that -- I often say, if there weren't an Israel, we'd have to invent one.

And so, this includes we're -- you know, we're committed to unwavering commitment to your self-defense. And today we're going to be discussing a broad range of challenges, including Iran. What I can say to you: Iran will never get a nuclear weapon on my watch, as they say.

RIVLIN: God bless you.

BIDEN: And -- and the -- I directed last night's airstrikes targeting sites used by the Iranian-backed militia groups responsible for recent attacks on the U.S. personnel in Iraq. And I have that authority under Article 2. And even those up in the Hill who are reluctant to acknowledge that have acknowledged that's the case.

I also want to be clear that, as I said, my team and I are already working closely with the Israeli government to -- that took office earlier this month. I'm looking forward to hosting Prime Minister Bennett at the White House very soon. And the U.S. fully supports normalization of the relationship between Israel and Middle Eastern countries -- that you're making some headway on -- and Africa as well.

And beyond, the important progress we are really looking forward to building back a wider block of peace and stability.

And, going forward, Mr. President, the United States and Israel are going to continue to work together to advance peace in the region and stability.

And I've only one regret: You're leaving as President. But not -- not immediately, and not soon.

RIVLIN: Seven years, for Israel, is enough. For the Americans, eight years could be--

(LAUGHTER)

RIVLIN: -- a little bit longer. But for the Israelis, seven years, it's enough.

BIDEN: Well, welcome.

RIVLIN: It's good to be President, I must say to you. Yeah.

(LAUGHTER)

BIDEN: Well, you -- you've done incredibly well. You've been a great friend.

RIVLIN: I did. Absolutely.

BIDEN: You've been a great friend.

RIVLIN: I did my best, of course.

BIDEN: Well, you did your best, and it was as good as it could be.

RIVLIN: Thank you.

BIDEN: All right, everybody. You have anything else you'd like to say?

RIVLIN: Of course, I would like to say and to mention that I'm delighted - - really delighted to be here once again in the White House with you, the president of the United States.

Of course, I have to repeat what we know very well: Israel have no greater friend, ally than the United States of America. You are our best friends, and we are sharing -- we are best friends, and the bonds between the people of Israel and the people of America is based on the understanding that we are sharing values -- value -- values of democracy and values of liberalism.

And because of that, of course, we, according to a real friendship, can from time to time discuss matters. And even the -- agree not to agree about everything. But we count on you. Your, really, declaration just now really brought the Israelis to understand that we have a great friend at the White House.

BIDEN: We do.

RIVLIN: Mr. President, God bless you. God bless the people of America. And God bless the relationship between our two nations and to our two states.

BIDEN: Well, I agree with you. And thank you very much for being here.

RIVLIN: Thank you.

BIDEN: Thank you all very much.

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: Mr. President, when will you visit Israel?

BIDEN: I don't have a date, but I will.

QUESTION: Mr. President, one question, Mr. President. One question, Mr. President.

Will you -- Mr. President, will you say, on camera, what your statement said Saturday? What is your bottom line on infrastructure?

BIDEN: My bottom line on infrastructure is exactly what we negotiated.

Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you. Thank you.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you. Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bottom line on infrastructure is exactly what we negotiated.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Gave it a try.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAYNE: President Biden meeting with Israel's president, both underscoring the deep, strong relationship of our nations and the backing, while acknowledging that -- quote -- "From time to time, we can agree not to agree about everything, but still remain friends."

We're going to be going back to Surfside, where families are desperately clinging to hope, as the search for their loved ones enters another night.

Pablo Rodriguez, who is missing his mom and his grandmother, is next.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RODRIGUEZ: We're completely devastated. We're still trying to hold on to whatever hope remains. But, realistically, we know that they're gone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAYNE: To Surfside, Florida, now, where families of the missing are still holding out hope after visiting the scene of the condo collapse, this as rescuers reassured them that they are doing everything they can to locate their loved ones.

FOX News' own Steve Harrigan is on the ground with the very latest -- Steve.

STEVE HARRIGAN, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Charles, a number of family members who are staying at the hotel behind me, they were taken by bus a short time ago to the scene of that condominium tower collapse.

A rabbi whose accompanied relatives there said the scene is pretty much the same yesterday and today. Initially, many family members scream out the name of their missing loved one. Then they cry. And towards the end, there is some peace.

We have heard reports about family members losing patience with the slow pace of recovery, no one recovered alive since Thursday. That's not the scene we saw here just a short time ago, when a man came up and embraced a police officer and a rabbi, a man whose son had been missing. Here's that man.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know what I feel. But I lost my whole life here. And it's not fair the way he died. But I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to with you every step of the way, OK? It doesn't end here. On the contrary, we move forward from here. And we are with you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIGAN: Keep in mind, that man's son had died in the collapse. He was thanking the first responder for the courage to find his dead son and return him to him for burial.

Right now, the death toll stands at 10 confirmed, 151 missing -- Charles

PAYNE: Steve, thank you.

My next guest is among those waiting for news of their loved one. His mother and grandmother remain unaccounted for.

Pablo Rodriguez joins me now.

Pablo, just I saw you spoke with Neil Cavuto. And we appreciate you coming back.

Where are you now? What are you hearing?

RODRIGUEZ: Hi, Charles.

We're still not hearing anything. I have accepted -- after seeing the video, I had accepted that I'm never going to see my mother or my grandmother alive again.

I heard the previous segment. And I echo that feeling. I really do want to thank the first responders. I mean, the conditions that they're working under are unimaginable. You really don't have an appreciation for the size of the debris field. It's an entire building that collapsed.

The weather's not great down here. It's very hot, very humid. It keeps raining. And they're continuing to work. So I do want to thank them. But it's -- you know, as for hope that we're going to be able to see them, that, for me, doesn't exist.

I just hope that they're able to at least recover them, so that we can give them a proper burial.

PAYNE: You spoke with your grandmother the night before, and she mentioned a loud noise, a creaking noise. And before this conversation--

RODRIGUEZ: My mother.

PAYNE: Your mother. OK, I'm sorry.

I know this must run this -- this conversation has got to be running through your mind over and over and over again.

RODRIGUEZ: Nonstop. Nonstop, Charles.

It's -- I replay it over and over and why, why didn't we pay more attention to it? You know, at the time, I didn't really give it much thought. It's not a noise that a building normally makes. Buildings don't creak loud enough to wake you up in the middle of the night.

But nobody thought it was going to collapse like this. And then another thing that I just keep replaying are all the times we have been to the condo in the past and seeing cracks, seeing water in the garage, seeing the owners complaining about the mismanagement, the association fees. Where are they going? It's clearly not going to maintenance.

Every conversation, every little thing that you saw over the many years that we would go there, now it all stands out. And you start -- it starts haunting you.

PAYNE: All of those signs. All of those signs.

Already a couple of lawsuits have been filed. Of course, 151 people are still missing. This is still technically a search-and-rescue. So I'm not sure where you are within your heart. Obviously, you have to be angry probably with everyone involved in the process and so many of the things that are coming out, it seems like some really despicable things may have happened.

How are you -- are you able to say operate that now, as you wait for confirmation with your mother, your grandmother and, if indeed they have passed away, focus on their memory, and sending them -- sending them off properly?

RODRIGUEZ: A little bit.

For me, it's a bit compartmentalized, different things. I mean, these interviews take a lot out of me. My wife is the one that keeps reminding me. She's like, are you kidding me? If your mom was still here, she'd be in front of every camera, every TV reporter, every paper making sure that whoever's responsible for this is brought to justice.

I mean, this is America, Charles. This doesn't happen here. And I think, if they keep digging, they're going to find a lot of bad things that happened.

I remember the owners complained often about mismanagement, about the funds being disappeared. I mean, this is a condo that the monthly maintenance fees were over $100,000 every month that they were receiving. It's almost $200,000 every month that they were receiving for many, many years.

Where did that money go? It didn't go to maintenance, because the building is not there anymore. So it makes you wonder. So that part's a little angry. It's a little frustrating. But, really, I'm just focusing on trying to help my family through this and trying to piece together mentally the next step to be able to move on.

PAYNE: Yes.

Yes, mothers are like that. yes, I'm sure your mother probably would be, like you said, in front of every camera she could.

You mentioned the family, trying to keep your family together, your wife. Do you have children as well? I do, Charles. I have a 6-year-old who was extremely close with both my mom and my grandmother.

And that's one of the most heartbreaking things, is the day that it happened, they were supposed to come pick him up, take him to lunch. They were going to buy him a new bicycle. We always were together. That Saturday, they were coming over.

So, this past Saturday, it was extremely rough, because it's the first Saturday my son hasn't seen his grandmother and his great-grandmother since he was born. So, it's -- he keeps asking us, why -- where are they? Are they coming over? Why can't we call the people looking for them?

We just don't know what to tell him.

PAYNE: Pablo, you're brave. And a lot of families are -- I'm glad you're standing up, not just for your own family, but all the families involved in this.

God bless you. And I hope you get closure on this soon. Thank you so much.

RODRIGUEZ: Thank you, Charles.

And that's what of the things--

PAYNE: OK, thank you.

We will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAYNE: A federal judge dismissing antitrust lawsuit against Facebook, a major blow to regulators. Facebook says it's pleased with the decision to dismiss the federal and state cases against it.

Meanwhile, looking live at San Francisco, where some taxpayers may be pitching a fit as the city looks to pitch more tense for the homeless.

FOX News' Jonathan Hunt has the very latest -- Jonathan.

JONATHAN HUNT, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Charles.

At a cost of $60,000 a year, the city of San Francisco provides a tent in one of its safe sleeping villages, on top of that, bathroom and shower facilities, security and food.

Few political leaders have suggested the city shouldn't be doing something about its homelessness crisis, but plenty have questioned that cost, including Supervisor Hillary Ronen, who told a Budget and Finance Appropriations Committee meeting last week -- quote -- "It is a big deal to have showers and bathrooms. And I don't dispute that, but the cost just doesn't make any sense."

That cost about $5,000, per month per tent ,is almost double the median cost of renting a one bedroom apartment in San Francisco, an apartment that would presumably come with its own bathroom. And according to the real estate Web site Zillow, city officials could even rent a high-end apartment in a luxury building with 24-hour security, pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, and gym for the less -- for less than the cost of one tent in the safe sleeping encampment.

It's a similar story here in L.A., as we reported a few weeks ago. Each of these tents and the 12-by-12 taped square each sits in cost more than a one-bedroom apartment.

And perhaps, Charles, the biggest concern for taxpayers in L.A. and San Francisco is the ongoing cost. San Francisco, for instance, plans to spend more than $1 billion -- billion with a B -- on the homelessness crisis in just the next two years -- Charles.

PAYNE: Wow.

Jonathan, thank you very much.

HUNT: Sure.

PAYNE: Meanwhile, another Times Square shooting in New York City leaving a tourist in a hospital and two suspects at large. Guess what New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio wants to do now?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PAYNE: A shooting in New York's Times Square living a tourist hospitalized, the hunt for the suspect still on.

Mayor Bill de Blasio saying today the city will be taking on a larger police presence.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL DE BLASIO (D), MAYOR OF NEW YORK: Bottom line is, we are going to flood the zone in Times Square with additional officers to make sure this situation is resolved once and for all. We are going into the summer of New York City. We have more and more activity out there, more and more jobs coming back, more and more tourists coming back.

They have to be safe and they have to feel safe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAYNE: What does my next guest make of that?

The former NYPD Lieutenant Joe Cardinale joins me now.

Lieutenant, it took this much for the mayor to say -- quote, unquote -- "flood the zone." Your thoughts?

JOE CARDINALE, FORMER NYPD LIEUTENANT: He still doesn't get it.

We have gone from a proactive police department to a reactive police department to a cautionary reactive police department. That's where we have we have come -- the point we have come to.

I mean, I don't know what planet Bill de Blasio lives on, but if he was reading the papers, if he was doing what he was supposed to be doing, this could have been resolved way -- a long time ago, but yet they choose to defund the police and handcuff the police.

Look, the bottom line is, Charles, we need to get street crime back out there. You need to implement stop and frisk again, and these guns will come off the street. You just can't address something after it happens. You have to get proactive with these approaches, the way they did under the Giuliani administration.

I mean, look what we took Times Square from.

PAYNE: Right.

CARDINALE: It was photography and every other crime. And now it was -- now we're back to square one.

PAYNE: So, what do you make of it? You say you don't know what planet de Blasio lives on. He's not the only one who lives there.

Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez saying that all this talk about crime spikes, it's called hysteria. What do you make of that?

CARDINALE: She is hysteria. She creates the hysteria.

I mean, tell her to get up and go into her own backyard and see what's happening up in the Bronx, all right, instead of hiding in the walls of Congress, and just dropping her opinion on everybody as each day goes on.

She has to wake up and realize that it's the Democratic-run cities that have these problems, and she has to step up to the plate and do something. But, no, it doesn't fit the agenda, the agenda of the people that are out there.

And this is the problem we have right now. It's getting to what he says. It's -- de Blasio says it's summertime. And of course it's summertime, but people do want to feel safe when they come there.

PAYNE: Right.

CARDINALE: But just think about it. Do you really want to plan a vacation in New York with everything that's going on, with defunding, handcuffing and police second-guessing every move they have to make?

PAYNE: Sure.

CARDINALE: I don't think so.

PAYNE: Sure.

Lieutenant, we have got to leave it there. I hear you. I know exactly what you're talking about. I have been here since the '70s. So I hope it gets back. I really do.

In the meantime, though, Neil will be back tomorrow, folks.

Getting a quick check of Wall Street today, we had a couple of records for you, the Nasdaq and the S&P closing at all time highs.

You can catch my show, "Making Money," weekdays 2:00 p.m. Eastern on the FOX Business Network, because that's what I do. I try to make you money.
 

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