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FBI Studying Surveillance Video From Inside Pulse Nightclub; Suspect In UK Lawmaker's Killing Arraigned; Belgian Police Arrest 12 In Overnight Raids; Iraq Forces Retake Key City From ISIS; Disney Adds New Signs and Barriers At Resort Beaches; LGBT Community Unites In Face Of Tragedy; Remembering The Nightclub Victims; Senate Votes On Terror List, Background Checks Monday; "State Of Financial Emergency" Declared Ahead Of Olympics. Aired 11a-12p

Aired June 18, 2016 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


[11:00:00] FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Funerals indeed are being held today for five more of the victims killed in the attack on the Pulse nightclub earlier, just one week ago now. Cory James Connell, Stanley Almodovar III, Antonio Davon Brown, Joel Rayon Paniagua and Luis Vielma will be all laid to rest in separate ceremonies today.

Meanwhile, the FBI is scrutinizing newly released surveillance video from inside the club at the time of the shooting. Investigators have also questioned an official at the mosque where the gunman prayed.

CNN'S Polo Sandoval is following the investigation. So Polo, while they have this new surveillance video, investigators are also still trying to figure out the shooter, Omar Mateen.

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And retrace his steps to Fred. We have to remember, obviously, the gunman is not here to answer these critical questions so they have to look back not only at who he knew, who he spent time with, who he spoke to, who he exchanged messages online with. And also some of the perhaps, the suspicious steps he may have taken before the shooting that happened here a week ago.

I'll give you a couple of examples that investigators are taken a closer look at, Fred. He showed up at a gun shop. He tried to buy ammo in bulk. He tried to purchase, reportedly tried to purchase body armor.

And then also, he gave or at least he added his wife's name in his insurance so that there's life insurance policy. So there's really a huge amount of evidence that investigators have to weigh now as they try to answer that key question that is still there today is why, it's, it sounds simple, but really, investigators have so much evidence to weigh especially as we hear from eye witnesses and then also when they review some of the tangible evidence.

WHITFIELD: And that tangible evidence, including that surveillance videotape from the Pulse nightclub. This is internal imagery that investigators are looking at. They'll be able to determine how he was able to reload, if he reloaded, what kind of weaponry he really did have with him. I guess the sequence of events, that's the information they're poring over but at what point, if at all, would that be revealed to the public?

SANDOVAL: It's very tough to say. The assistant city attorney here in Orlando did say that they're going over all that evidence, including the recording of the 911 call that he made. When he actually called dispatchers, when he was reportedly in that bathroom holding several people at gun-point.

There are still -- the city is still deciding whether or not that would be released. There is a state statute that requires that if there is a death involved in a case then any 911 calls related to the case would not be released. But this is obviously a unique case. It's one that is getting interest from across the country, really from around the world.

So it will be interesting to find out if that recording is ever makes it out into the public. And of course the surveillance video that you mentioned a little while ago that investigators are in fact poring over, that would be essentially a very disturbing window into what happened in that nightclub seven days ago because as you said, it would show where he went into the club. It would show maybe what he did, when he paused to make the phone call his wife, the dispatcher, the producer and then possibly a friend.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much Polo. And when we talk again, I'd love for you to tell us about the history of the Pulse nightclub, because it's very much a part of this community here and it has a very -- delicate and poignant history, a story that really ...

SANDOVAL: That would be good ...

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much Polo, appreciate that.

All right, so for more on what investigators are indeed going to be focusing on, I want to bring in CNN Counterterrorism Analyst Phil Mudd.

All right, so Phil, you know, Polo talked about some of these red flags, if you want to call them that, things about the past of the shooter which also would include reports about his behavior, while in primary school. But those necessarily wouldn't be in a background check, right?

Phil, so, you know, when you talk about red flags, these are things that have to be associated with a criminal background check?

PHILIP MUDD, CNN COUNTERTERRORISM ANALYST: That's right. I don't really see many red flags here, the only two I see, one is a legal issue and that is whether the FBI has a right to know for someone who is not under investigation today, whether that person is buying an assault rifle. The second red flag is pretty simple, the wife should have talked to federal officers and said I'm afraid about what my husband might do.

But the other stuff, Fredricka, let's go in the opposite direction, 300 million Americans, are you going to start looking for people who maybe say things to workers that are bigoted, that relate to violence, who maybe are doing online searches related for example to the attacks in San Bernardino? Those might be red flags when you look at an individual case, that's not the way to look at this. You got to start with 300 million people and say how do you boil that down to somebody who should be the subject of a federal investigation? And Fredricka, I don't see much of that in this case.

WHITFIELD: OK. So that's the very complicated part because so many people ask, you know, what about the collection of information about an individual? How do you determine whether someone is potentially dangerous and to what degree?

So, you know, how would investigators, how would law enforcement try to anticipate or how would they be able to zero in on what some neighbors or co-workers would consider to be peculiar activities?

[12:05:15] MUDD: Well, in cases like this, you've got to look for somebody to make a mistake. That is to talk to the wrong person online, for example an ISIS recruiter that's being watched by the FBI or the CIA. to talk to an informant on the street. To tell somebody that they're going to commit an act of violence, like he told his wife and that person then calls federal officials to try to travel to a place like Turkey, to go into Syria to fight with ISIS. You have to look to somebody to make a mistake.

When an individual in a country of this size just talks to co-workers, talks to family, maybe buys a weapon, you look back on this and do the after-action as a federal official and you scratch your head and say, I know it's not that rewarding, Fredricka, but I'm not sure what you would look at and say I wish we would have done this differently unless you get into that again, in that sort of case that the congress has to deal with, about whether you authorize the feds to reopen cases when somebody tries to buy a weapon. Other than that, what this guy did doesn't get over the bar.

WHITFIELD: And now, you know, Phil, we've been talking about Omar Mateen's wife. Investigators are interested in talking with her further. But what determines someone's, a wife in this case, involvement versus knowledge?

MUDD: There's a couple of things you got to look at in this case, that is what happened before, whether it's clear and evidently she's given conflicting stories, whether it's clear that she had an indication that he was going to commit an act of murder. In that case, she's in trouble. You got to call the feds when that happens.

There's a second piece that people talk less about, and that's called -- what we used to call it at the bureau, the FBI, 1001 violation. That is lying to a federal officer.

Once that investigation begins after the fact, you've got to sit up and despite how embarrassing or painful it is, and tell the federal officers who are investigating the truth. If your story the day after is one thing and your story three days after is another, they're going to come after you. That is a federal violation. They're going to come after you for lying during that investigation. So, she's got two issues, did she know something before and did she lie afterwards?

WHITFIELD: All right, CNN Counterterrorism Analyst Phil Mudd, thank you so much, appreciate it.

MUDD: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, also still ahead, as investigators in the U.S. dig into how this gunman may have been linked to ISIS, if he was linked to ISIS, a major blow to the terror group in Iraq, a critical city that is ISIS-held is back in the hands of Iraqi forces.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:10:02] WHITFIELD: Welcome back, I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Orlando. Let's look at our other stories we're following.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country is prepared to work with any presidential candidate American voters elect. Putin has previously described Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump as brilliant and talented. CNN'S Fareed Zakaria asked Putin whether he stands by those comments.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VLADIMIR PUTIN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENT: I only said that he was a bright person. Isn't he bright? He is. But there's one thing that I paid attention to, and that I definitely welcome, is Mr. Trump said he's ready to restore full-fledged Russian/American relations. What can be bad about it?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And be sure to watch more of the interview with Putin on Fareed Zakaria's GPS Special, Sunday morning 10:00 a.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

All right, defiant words from a man charged with murdering Jo Cox, a British member of parliament. 52-year-old Tommy Mair appeared in court just hours ago for arraignment. When asked his name, Mair responded, "Death to traitors. Freedom for Britain." Mair will be held in jail until his next court appearance. Meanwhile, Cox's sister spoke earlier at the site of her memorial describing her as an amazing and perfect human being.

And Belgian police have questioned 40 people and arrested a dozen of them in an overnight terror raid in Brussels. Prosecutor announced dozens of houses were searched as part of the operation though no arms or explosives were found. The identities of the 12 arrested have not been released.

Breaking news in the key, Iraqi city of Fallujah. Iraq says Fallujah is mostly free from ISIS control, this after nearly a month of the U.S.-led offensive to free the city. Fallujah is 40 miles west of Baghdad. It has been under ISIS control since early 2014.

CNN'S Senior International Correspondent Ben Wedeman is live for us right now in Baghdad. So Ben, while officials in the area are declaring victory, fighting is still raging in that city, isn't it?

BEN WEDEMAN, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, we just got back from there. We rode in an Iraqi army Humvee to the center of town. We saw a lot of destruction along the way. And when we got to the center of town, which we were told had been liberated, what we saw was that fighting was indeed ongoing. In fact on our left one block over, there was a gun battle raging. Down the street, we were on one of the main roads going through Fallujah, about yards away from us, there was fighting there. And on the street one block over to the right, we can also hear gun battle going on.

Now, the Iraqi troops we were with seemed fairly relaxed, fairly confident that it's only a matter of time that ISIS will be completely crushed in Fallujah. But certainly, what we saw is that it's still quite a ways to go.

Now, we understand from Iraqi officials that ISIS is still in control of the northern neighborhoods of Fallujah. Now Fredricka, what's significant is that we were in Fallujah for about two hours. We didn't see a single civilian. I did speak to one fighter who said some civilians had managed to flee from ISIS-controlled areas. He described them as looking traumatized, hungry and thirsty and desperate to get out of the city.

Iraqi officials don't have a clear idea how many civilians are still stuck in the ISIS-controlled areas. They said, when I asked them today, several thousand. But it's not clear whether they're being used as human shields or simply hiding wherever they can and hoping that the battle ends as soon as possible.

Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: Ben Wedeman, thank you so much from Baghdad.

All right, straight ahead, Disney World, out with new precautions today as the family park puts up warning signs and barriers to prevent another tragedy like earlier this week. We're live in Orlando next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:18:52] WITHFIELD: Welcome back, I'm Fredricka Witfield. Live from Orlando, not far from the Pulse Nightclub where a tragedy unfolded just a week ago.

Meantime Walt Disney world now adding new warning signs not far from this location. And temporary barriers at its resort beaches in the wake of Tuesday's deadly gator attack on a toddler. Meanwhile the boy's family breaking its silence and asking for privacy as they mourn the death of their son, Lane Graves. CNN's Brynn Gingras is following the latest developments from Orlando.

So Brynn, what more is being done to prevent something like this from happening again and are those barriers comfort enough?

BRYNN GINGRAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, we'll have to find out. I mean the family has only released a statement at this point. And we'll get to that in a minute, Fred. As you said, it's all about the warnings, right. We reached out to Disney and they said they have about two dozen properties that they've looked at, waterfronts, beaches where they want to add some extra layer of protection. And that includes some fences, that also includes some signs. And some of those signs that we've been employees actually holding and putting up say "Danger, alligators and snakes in the area. Stay away from the water" or "Do not feed the wildlife."

[11:20:06] So those are going up on those properties. We do know that about nine have been completed either a fence and signs or both. And we know that that process is still ongoing at this point.

We also know that employees are being instructed to sort of have these conversations with each other and also with guests about the dangers that do exist with those waters all around as the many Disney properties here in Orlando.

As you said, Fred, this is now with the family, the first time. They're actually speaking out. They're back in Nebraska. They returned home and get this, Fred, blue bows were put on their house by their neighbors just an outpouring of support through this horrific time of grieving. And they released a statement to sort of thanking, I should say, for that support that they've received.

Melissa and Matt Graves said this, "Melissa and i continue to deal with the loss of our beloved boy Lane and are overwhelmed with the support and love we have received from families -- family and friends in our community, as well as around the country."

And in that same statement, they did ask for privacy, because now they have this sort of unimaginable task of course laying little Lane to rest. Fred?

WHITFIELD: It's heartbreaking. All right, Brynn Gingras, thank you so much. We'll check back with you.

All right, so that attack coming the same week as the nightclub shooting. Leaving Orlando reeling. So next how the LGBT community is trying to cope after what happened at the Pulse Nightclub, 49 killed.

JEANNETTE MCCOY, SURVIVED SHOOTING IN PULSE: Just because I choose my own gender, because I was taught to love no matter what at the end of the day, regardless if I represent that colorful flag we all bleed red. We all bleed red. We're human beings and we need all to be treated like human beings.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Good morning. Thanks so much for joining us. Fredricka Withfield, live from Orlando not far away from the Pulse Nightclub.

[11:25:05] And there's also an outpouring of support particularly for the LGBT community in Orlando and the victims of that shooting at the gay nightclub. All of that support continuing.

On Friday the human rights campaign unveiled a giant eight-story tribute to those killed in horrific shooting. The HRC honored those killed in the massacre by placing pictures of all 49 in the front windows of its Washington, D.C. Headquarters. With the message -- "We are Orlando." President Obama also reiterating his support for Orlando and the hard-hit LGBT community in his weekly address this morning. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRES. BARACK OBAMA, (D), UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: It's been a less than a week since the deadliest mass shooting in American history. And foremost in all of our minds has been the loss and grief felt by the people of Orlando, especially our friends who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

I visited with families of many of the victims on Thursday, and one thing I told them is that, they're not alone. The American people and people all over the world are standing with them and we always will.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So let's talk more about the LGBT community in the aftermath of that shooting. With me now is Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan, she is Orlando's first openly gay commissioner. Thanks so much for being with us, good to see you.

PATTY SHEEHAN, ORLANDO CITY COMMISSIONER: Thank you for coming.

WHITFIELD: Unfortunately under these kinds of circumstances.

SHEEHAN: Horrible circumstances. I mean I've been an LGBT activist for 30 years and of ocurse I've seen a change in the community. I think this has been a real, you know, there's been ripples and waves as things have happened where we've been able to get equality, little bits and pieces here and there from nondiscrimination and public accommodation housing and employment to, you know, to marriage.

But I think this situation has been the most outpouring of support. We still had people that were not in favor of our rights, they were silenced or actually attacking the LGBT community. And what I have seen over the past week has been people who were ordinarily, you know, just enemies of my community actually sometimes apologizing, embracing us. And I don't care people do the right thing for the wrong reason. I frankly don't care, as long as they do the right thing. I think this has opened the hearts and minds, I think -- because they weren't just LGBT, they were members of the Hispanic community, which is kind of conservative. I think that there's been this whole interesting way this has woven together. To create understanding and love.

WHITFIELD: And this is tangible. You have felt this, in the one week since that happened.

SHEEHAN: I really have, you know. I mean I've been at odds with the owner of the Orlando Magic. You know, because he's given money to anti-LGBT organizations. And this week they opened up the Orlando fanatic to sell the one Orlando shirts, and there were people lined up around the block. I see little kids with lemonade stands with hand-lettered signs. I see signs in these neighborhoods. There's just folding chairs with those hand-lettered signs by children. I've seen, you know, the fact that the rainbow has become the symbol around the world for Orlando, as an LGBT activist warms my heart. I'm just sad it took this to make this happen. But the most important thing to me is seeing these parents and I see on that street, crying and they're finally starting to smile again. I think if they can learn to smile again, so can we.

WHITFIELD: I talked to a young man the other night, Adam Chong. And he said, you know, what is so profound here is, for a very long time we didn't feel loved.

SHEEHAN: Exactly.

WHITFIELD: In parts of the Orlando community. And as a result, he says, we're feeling like a big hug. People are hugging us.

SHEEHAN: Yeah.

WHITFIELD: People are embracing us unlike before. So he felt it has been very transformative.

SHEEHAN: I think for me it's been so strange is I'm so accustomed to being attacked that I can handle that. The hard thing for me this week has been the amount of love and support. You know, I mean, I actually went to the restaurant in city hall yesterday, and I so hungry, I went there to get something to eat. They had little rainbow cupcakes, and I just lost it. You know, unlike there's all of these little things that show support that are so important to us because we've ever seen it before.

WHITFIELD: Do you think about whether it's lasting? Or are you just in the moment at this point and just celebrating that that kind of support and love is being exhibited right now?

SHEEHAN: I don't see how anyone, especially the ministers and I hate to say it, that's the latest community has kind of been the problem. I don't see how they can rescind their support, especially after they had a press conference to announce it. We've never had, that's unprecedented.

I have the leader of my county who has been, you know, supportive, but kind of, you know, worried about how it's going to affect her political career hang the, you know, hang the sea to sea flag on the Orange County chambers yesterday.

I see -- it was yesterday, I mean I hate to say it but they raise (ph) are all kind of put me down ...

WHITFIELD: It's all going together.

SHEEHAN: Yeah. There's been a lot of change in this community. And people saying, you know what, I might not have been on the forefront before, but now I need to be because I never want to see this happen in my community again. [11:30:03] Hatred is hatred. I spoke when we're doing our

nondiscrimination ordinance, it starts out as gay jokes. It goes into gay bashing and it has you know, come into this place of a mass shooting.

And it grows, hatred and discrimination grows, this is what happens when you allow it. We all have to say no it's not acceptable. Hatred is not the answer to all of those.

WHITFIELD: While this expression of love and support is being exhibited, how do you see this moment potentially really changing the lives of the LGBT community here?

SHEEHAN: This is the really sad thing for me as an LGBT activist. I was really hoping the world was going to be a place, a better place for these younger people than it was for me. And I thought we had done a lot of things to make that a safer place for them.

The fact that they were massacred in this way breaks my heart and I think that's what we have do look at. How can we -- how can we make it better place for the next generation?

WHITFIELD: Patty Sheehan, thanks so much, appreciate your time.

We'll be right back. Funerals have begun for the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting, 49 lives were brutally ended. And these people will never again laugh or dance like they did Saturday night.

Perhaps the only comfort right now is that they will forever be loved and respected and live on in the memories of their families and friends.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEX OTERO, VIGIL ATTENDEE: Everyone is affected by this and everyone knows someone who knows someone who was affected by this tragedy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What (inaudible) to my baby and I won't see him again.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She had everything going for her, everything, perfect student, mannerism topnotch.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We love a great person. We lost a caring person. I don't understand what that (inaudible). I don't understand.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anybody would have met him and the first second of knowing Eddie, you fall in love with him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She was a mother of 11, just superhero.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They don't deserve this. There are other families probably feeling the same thing, going through the same thing, but this was our -- this was our family.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't prove you when I clean my home, when I listen to salsa, he is right here with me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Always smiling, always, always there for you, like I said he was everyone's best friend.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[11:38:37]

WHITFIELD: Welcome back. Live from Orlando, the mass shooting here has renewed the impassioned pleas for tougher gun laws. The U.S. Senate has agreed to vote on several different amendments on Monday.

Lawmakers may find themselves in familiar position when it comes to gun control, stalemate. The expectation is that none of them will pass.

Joining me now CNN investigations correspondent, Chris Frates. So Chris, what is laid out in these amendments, these proposals, and why is it some believe they are ill-fated?

CHRIS FRATES, CNN INVESTIGATIONS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fred. Well, Democrats and Republicans have competing proposals on how to prevent terror suspects from buying guns. So let's break them down.

Democrats, they want to block the sale of guns to known or suspected terrorists if the attorney general believes the weapons would be used for terrorism. And anybody subject to a federal terrorism investigation in the past five years would be flagged for further review.

Now on the Republican side, they would like to block the sale of guns to known or suspected terrorists for up to three days if the attorney general believes the weapons wild be used for terrorism. And a U.S. attorney could permanently block the sale if there is probable cause that the buyer is linked to terrorism.

Now differences also remain between the two parties on how to change the background checks needed to buy a gun. And similar legislations of the proposals expected to get a vote on Monday have all been rejected in the past. So there's not a lot of hope that this time will be different -- Fred.

[11:40:10]WHITFIELD: All right, Chris Frates, thank you so much.

So here in Orlando, I spoke with Senator Bill Nelson who actually does have a lot of hope that something will pass. He believes that this time things are different and that Democrats are finally getting through to Republicans. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SENATOR BILL NELSON (D), FLORIDA: There was something that happened in that 15-hour filibuster that I think is getting through to the Republican senators and so 60 is a big vote because that means that we have to get 14 Republican senators, if we have all of our Democrats.

But it's such common-sense legislation, if you're on a terrorist watch list, you can't buy a gun. If you're on a terror list, you can't get on an airplane so why should you buy a gun?

If you've been on a terrorist watch list, which he was in 2013, 2014, then they have to ping the FBI once the purchase is made. So the FBI can go in and question him if they want to.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, so that's Senator Bill Nelson. Let's talk more about this with Larry Sabato. He is the director for the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. Good to see you and Jason Johnson, he is the politics editor for "The Root." Good to see you as well.

So Larry, you first, the terror watch list proposal, especially applicable to what just happened in Orlando. You heard from Senator Bill Nelson, he said bottom line, it's common sense. But -- does that help promote that there may be a vote in favor of change?

LARRY SABATO, DIRECTOR, UVA'S CENTER FOR POLITICS: Plus common sense, we don't associate the two words all that frequently. And look, Senator Nelson, I think it's good that he's optimistic and he's working for it. But he has to get as he conceded, 14 Republicans.

There is only one way you get 14 Republicans and that's if some version is endorsed by the NRA. It's that simple. And then, Fred, it's not like that's the end of the process. It has to go to the House where the chances are much, much smaller.

WHITFIELD: So Jason, an endorsement from the NRA, not likely. Do you think as a result of what just happened at the Pulse not far behind me, that's the impetus that lawmakers have to say, perhaps there is some modification that needs to be made. And one of these four proposals just might be the answer?

JASON JOHNSON, "THE ROOT" POLITICS EDITOR: Well, Fred, I got to tell you, I don't think so, I'm not optimistic. We've seen this time and time again. Children in Sandy Hook, you know a year ago, you know, I lost an old friend in the assassinations in Charleston, Orlando -- a colleague, I mean, Gabrielle Giffords got shot, and things have not moved the members of the House and Senate to pass reasonable gun control reform.

So I don't see anything radically changing on Monday and I'll be honest with you, from an ideological standpoint, there are some real constitutionality questions about the no fly-list, I don't know if I'm comfortable with the idea of the no-fly list from preventing you from being able to buy a gun.

WHITFIELD: You're saying that sometimes on the no-fly list or the terror watch list, there's confusion of names or identity? That's why? JOHNSON: Yes, definitely. That is extremely problematic -- and plus people are not always informed if they're on the no-fly list until they get to an airport. I think that's a slippery slope. I don't see much possibility. I think there's going to be some real problems. They'll try on Monday, but I don't see the votes coming through.

WHITFIELD: So, so Larry, trust, you know, is that the root here, it sounds like especially what Jason is underscoring. Sometimes people don't trust the terror watch list. They don't even know if they're on it until they get to an airport, et cetera, and find out they're on a no-fly list.

So is a potential answer from -- or is it a reexamination you know of law enforcement, such as the FBI. Those agencies that are you know watching potentially dangerous behavior?

SABATO: Well, Fred, let's remember that a large majority, even of Republicans favors the some of the proposals coming before the Senate. Democrats are nearly unanimous, and independents also strongly favored.

So the truth is I think the American public is ready some change. It's our political system that's in gridlock and it's perfectly obvious there's a dramatic party difference here.

Democrats are in favor of these gun control measures and Republicans for the most part are against. Who controls the Senate and the House? Republicans.

[11:45:07]I hate to bring everything down to partisan politics, but those are the facts.

WHITFIELD: All right, Jason, last word?

JOHNSON: Look, I completely agree with Larry here. Here's the thing. Flipping 14 Republicans, there are not enough Republicans in purple states, you've got two in Pennsylvania and you've got Rob Portman in Ohio, but there's not enough Republicans who are going to feel enough electoral pressure to flip their votes for this actually to get to the House where it's certainly going to face a death under Paul Ryan.

WHITFIELD: All right, Jason Johnson, Larry Sabato, thanks so much, Gentlemen. Always good to see you.

All right, it is a state of financial emergency in Rio, with just 48 days until the Olympics kicks off and the city is signaling the alarm, we're live from Brazil next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Welcome back. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Orlando. Let's talk about what's happening overseas, with less than 50 days now before the opening ceremonies for the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Authorities are declaring a financial state of emergency now. Brazil is dealing with its worst recession since the 1930s. Not to mention the troubling Zika outbreak. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh is live from Rio right now. So Nick, what is this state of emergency all about?

[11:50:07]NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it seems to be a plea to get money from the federal government, or at least, certainly, in the immediate terms, by declaring the state of emergency, cut away some of the red tape that the acting governor here in Rio state would need to get finances going.

But what it really means, though, is that the crisis we've known that's being here and around the city where the Olympics will be held has gotten to the point where they're making a public declaration.

This is about health care, hospitals, universities, and importantly too for the game, the police services. Are they getting the money they need? They're not at this stage. But nobody really expected this kind of loud public declaration.

And Fred, the key issue is, is that money going to be forthcoming fast? Because we know that Rio state is about $5 billion in debt at this stage. They seem, according to local media reports, to be looking for another billion or so. That may come from the federal government.

It may be the Olympics that they're using, in fact, as some kind of leverage to boost their budget here and try to dampen down the crisis. But it does two things, really, Fred.

Yes, potentially, it provides a climate here where the police and the hospitals aren't really as everyone would like them to be, to accept half a million Olympic guests in the forthcoming few weeks.

And also, too, it raises the specs, if we didn't know how bad the financial crisis was here, are there other problems pass relating to Olympic infrastructure and spending, which haven't been unearthed, too.

And quote, "Are the games are going to be as ready as they should be when they have to begin." Yet another crisis on this game's history -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And Nick, the mayor of Rio apparently tweeted out something that tries to create some distance between the city and this financial crisis. What was said?

WALSH: Well, that was basically just saying that the games are not threatened by this, what they call, financial calamity at a state level. Now, I think everyone, Olympics and outside, says that is the case. They don't seem to suggest that what is respectably a crisis in local financing here in public services will impact the games.

But as you know, Brazil has had a lengthy economic and political crisis here. And I think a big statement like this will make some concern that perhaps, maybe, some of the infrastructure projects that are so vital to the games, like the subway extension, that's supposed to go from here, the beach that everyone stays, to the Olympic Park, where they see the athletes compete, that that may not be ready four days before the games as promised.

All these questions continue to mount, but statements like this emerge don't provide the kind of answers everyone wants to make everyone satisfied that they're walking into a seamlessly executed games on August the 5th -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Nick Paton Walsh from Rio, thank you so much.

All right. Back here in Orlando, an emotional tribute to 49 people gunned down in a nightclub. A wooden cross for each one. Next, the message from the man who put that memorial together.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's so much hate and people are quick to say "those people." And I got the opposite to say, you know, you've got to love your neighbor and love your brother and quit all that judging.

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WHITFIELD: If you drive around Orlando here, you will see man tributes for the victims of the PULSE NIGHTCLUB shooting, including 49 wooden crosses lining a lake outside the Orlando Regional Medical Center built by hand by one man. These crosses are another symbol for friends and families to honor their loved ones.

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WHITFIELD (voice-over): Gilberto Ramon Silver Menendez and Jonathan Antonio Kamoy Vega, a name for each cross, placed at Orlando's Beauty Lake, 49 white crosses for the 49 killed in the nation's worst mass shooting.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's very somber. Very, very somber. We live in large city, but it feels lightning a hometown especially in the gay community.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And it hits home. Close to the heart.

WHITFIELD: Each marker with a name and photo placed here by Greg Zanis of Illinois.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You've got to love your brother and love your neighbor without all that judging.

WHITFIELD: Love for people he never even met fueled his 1,200-mile drive from Aurora, Illinois to Orlando, putting his hand-built crosses in place.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We just need to honor them. We look like we're a religious country and we're not. We have so much trouble.

WHITFIELD: Symbols, he says, of how he coped after the shooting death of his father-in-law 20 years ago. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just put the red hearts on there, just to show love.

WHITFIELD: This time, his poignant tribute attracts dozens from dawn to dusk in Orlando. Over the years, the carpenter says he's stopped building houses to make crosses for victims, including those in Aurora, Colorado, and Newtown, Connecticut.

At least 13,000 crosses in all across the country. No community could ever wish for a memorial like this, but for Jeannette McCoy, who was with her friend, Angel Colon, who she feels was shot while trying to protect her, this has become a place to have reflection and healing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Something that we're going to have to live with, and somehow cope and come together, as humans.

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WHITFIELD: It's become a real place of comfort, but many people there also expressing hope that this community is bonded in a much bigger way now. We have so much more straight ahead in the NEWSROOM and it all starts right now.

Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me here in Orlando. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

Funerals are underway right now for five more of the victims killed in that attack on the Pulse Nightclub nearly one week ago. Cory James Connell, Stanley Almouldvar III, Antonio Devon Brown, Joel Rayon Paniagua, and Louis Vielma, all laid to rest today.

Meanwhile, the FBI is digging deeper into the background of the shooter, Omar Mateen. They spoke to an official at the mosque where he attended services since 2003. And investigators also are reviewing surveillance video from inside the club at the time of the shooting.

CNN's Polo Sandoval is following the investigation.