it's 10:00 a.m. in new york.

i'm lindsey reiser. we have a lot to get to this busy tuesday, starting with a terrifying kidnapping in mexico. the fbi now offering a $50,000 reward for the safe return of four u.s. citizens taken at gunpoint. this video you're watching now shows part of that kidnapping according to a law enforcement official. a gunman appears to drag people into a white pickup truck, one of whom was in mexico for cosmetic surgery. the u.s. ambassador to mexico saying an innocent mexican citizen was killed in all of this. what we're learning about the kidnapping victims and what is being done to bring them to safety. plus, more terror in the skies, caught on camera, federal charges have now been filed against the man you see here, accused of trying to stab a flight attendant on a cross country united flight with a makeshift blade. and trying to open the emergency exit door midflight. >> i will kill every man on this plane! >> how passengers jumped in to save the day. and a desperate race to dig

out stranded residents in southern california's mountain communities, buried under days of historic snow. stunning time lapse video showing just how fast that snow accumulated. many people going extended periods without food, water, or even heat in these brutally cold temperatures. >> feels like an apocalyptic movie. >> without us volunteers, there's no telling how many dead bodies we would be recovering. >> with the next round of brutal weather is taking aim next. we're going to begin with the urgent hunt for the kidnapped americans in mexico. starting us off, morgan chesky in texas on the mexico border, ken dilanian and rob d'amico, member of the hostage rescue team, now senior risk adviser for global guardian. law enforcement, a law enforcement official calling this a case of mistaken identity. what more are we learning about

what happened and who the victims are? >> reporter: we're having a chance to hear from some of the family members of those four individuals that were taken at gunpoint in this kidnapping that occurred not too far from where i'm standing, just across this bridge in matamoros over the last 24 hours. i've been able to provide more context into how these four individuals from south carolina ended up here and we have learned according to a family member that one of them was latavia washington mcgee. another woman, zalandria brown shared to the press that her brother zindell was one of the four. this was a group that according to the family members had traveled here because one of the women of the four had wanted to get a cosmetic procedure done in matamoros and they vented this fan in south carolina and made a very long journey here to this border city before crossing over into matamoros. lindsey, i think it is important to note here that going back to

october, 2022, the state department had put a do not travel advisory in place to the tune of a level four. that's the highest there is, saying essentially there is no reason to go over to matamoros or the state of tamaulipas for any reason and we're seeing unfortunately the result of that. in fact, lindsey, there had been such violence in preceding this kidnapping that the state department issued a warning that very day that this horrific crime took place. so, we're learning a little bit more about the four individuals involved here. and as you can imagine, it is the unknown that makes this so unbearable right now for those families, lindsey? >> well said, absolutely. ken, we know the fbi is offering a substantial reward for the safe return of these americans. we have that video, which hopefully can be some clue to investigators, but you're learning more about the circumstances of the kidnapping and what else is being done to bring them home. >> yeah, lindsey, i was just

speaking with sources this morning who are clarifying because the president of mexico suggested that somehow these people drove into a gunfight, but actually what the fbi and u.s. law enforcement believes is that these americans were targeted in a case of mistaken identity. as soon as they crossed the border in that white minivan and one theory floating around u.s. circles is that these cartel gunmen mistakenly believe that these americans were haitian people smugglers encroaching on their turf, which is a thing that is happening in that part of mexico. and, you know, the cartels are involved in smuggling human beings and drugs and they guard their turf very zealously. that would explain, if true, why these cartel gunmen chased and then fired on this vehicle and then grabbed these americans. what is not clear is to what extent negotiations are going on. and also the physical situation, i mean, the video clearly shows, and my sources are very concerned about the health of

some of these americans, the video clearly shows some of them were grievously wounded and i'm get something signals from inside the u.s. government that it is not a good situation, but we may hear more today, lindsey. >> okay. rob, you worked in hostage rescue. what sort of work do you think the fbi is doing at this stage? >> i mean, first thing, lindsey, it is a horrific video to watch. it reminded me back to iraq and afghanistan, when there are outright kidnapping and executing people. that's first thing i thought of. the second thing is now the fbi, their priority is not the case, it is getting them back. who do they need to get a hold of, that the gunmen work for people, and the people they work for, the ones that we're going to have to start talking to to see that we can get them back. i know the cartel has their own doctors. they got to get injured people to their doctors, get them healthy so that we can start talking to them and figure out how to get this done. >> u.s. and mexican authorities are investigating here. how crucial is a joint operation

between both countries and how do you think this cooperation is going to elicit results here? how helpful do you think mexico could be in this situation? >> it is absolutely necessary. it is their turf. our negotiators train back and forth all the time. their negotiations -- we go back and forth with these kidnap cases all the time. and getting the sources in. we have sources. they have sources. getting to the right person to talk to. the person that can do something is the one we need to talk to and we do it all the time. i sat in afghan prisons with the county warlords working out deals for hostages. it is not impossible. our guys are used to doing it. >> thank you all for starting us off, difficult story. we want to switch gears now to terrifying moments caught on camera on a flight to boston. authorities say a man tried to open an emergency door, and attacked a flight attendant with a broken metal spoon.

watch this. >> i'm taking over this plane! >> oh, no. >> i'm telling you right now -- >> he said i'm taking over this plane. emilie ikeda here on set with me. what happened? >> so this alarming incident as you saw in the video there playing out before a crowded plane and just minutes before this cross country trip was set to make a landing in boston, investigators say that the suspect allegedly tried to stab the flight attendant three times in the neck area before thankfully fast acting passengers and crew members jumped into action. this morning, a united airlines passenger is facing federal charges following a terrifying incident on board a boston bound flight. >> i will kill every man on this plane! >> according to court documents, about 45 minutes before landing the cross country trip from los angeles, the flight crew was notified that emergency exit

door on the plane had been disarmed. a flight attendant discovered the door's handle was moved out of the fully locked position. another flight attendant reporting 33-year-old francisco torres had been near the door, leading the crew to believe he had tampered with it. when confronted, torres allegedly responded asking if there were cameras to prove it. witnesses say that's when he got out of his seat, approached two flight attendants in the aisle and allegedly attempted to stab one of them in the neck three times with a broken metal spoon. >> we started hearing his voice get louder and louder. he was clearly agitated. >> passengers on board the plane seen in this video shared by witness lisa olson tackled and restrained the suspect. >> there were probably four or five men that restrained him on the ground. >> torres later admitting to investigators he knew if he opened the door many people would die. also claiming self-defense during the altercation, saying he made the weapon on board in the bathroom. just how unusual is this degree

of violence? >> it is extraordinarily unusual. but it doesn't take that much to take a lot of everyday items and turn them into weapons. >> reporter: it comes as we're learning new details about torres. in 2015, he was ordered by a court to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, according to a lawsuit he filed against a hospital years later, in which he alleged he was misdiagnosed with a mental health disorder n that suit, torres who represented himself, sought $50 billion and a license to carry and use if necessary any type of concealed or unconcealed firearms and explosives on any commercial transports. the case was later dismissed. united airlines says it has zero tolerance for any type of violence on our flights. adding this customer will be banned from flying on united pending an investigation. so even before that five and a half hour flight took off, torres appeared to take some level of interest in the emergency exit door. investigators say he had actually asked another passenger where the door handle was in the

initial safety briefing at the start of the trip. he's up against a federal charge of interference with crew members, with a dangerous weapon. that could mean if convicted he could face up to life in prison. i should note we did reach out to his attorney, but have not heard back. >> emilie ikeda, thank you so much. joining me now is sarah nelson, a united flight attendant. good to see you here. talk to me here about your reaction to what we're seeing and also, of course, we never want to seeing some like this happen on a flight, but essentially are flight attendants trained for something like this? >> well, flight attendants are not only first responders since 9/11, we also have been aviation's last line of defense in security. and there is fewer of us on board than pre- 9/11. we have not had combat training or crew member self-defense training as a required course. that is a voluntary course that flight attendants have to take on their own time, offered by the tsa and done by air

marshals. so there is training, but this is very difficult to handle and i think it is really important for people to understand this is happening on descent. the pilots are busy. there has been an effort to only have one pilot in the flight deck and this should show why it is so important that we are fully staffed, and we can respond to this, because the first rule in safety is no distractions. what could be more distracting than this incredibly violent event against the crew? >> and, sarah, this isn't the only incident we have seen in recent days. we have seen severe turbulence leading to serious injuries, a bird strike leading to an emergency landing in havana. people are looking at this and saying this isn't normal, what would you say to them? >> this isn't normal. there are issues across the board in safety and the way that safety works is to have redundancies and to make sure you got a swiss cheese model, so that you're layering over safety protocols in order to make sure

that nothing falls through a hole. and so when you start to stretch that further and further, with minimum crew, with full aircraft, with the fact that congress has failed to act, to have a banned passenger list on known people who have been violent on our planes, that we are stretched to the limits in aviation, this leaves rooms for -- room for potential problems and sometimes it is just that break in link in safety protocols with just one additional item that puts everyone in jeopardy on the plane. those pilots need to be focusing on landing and what this did was this put the crew in jeopardy, everyone on board in jeopardy, and also created a distraction during the most critical phase of life. >> so, captain sully sullenberger who landed the plane in the hudson, miracle on the hudson, he was on the "today" show this morning and called this threat of incident canaries in the coal mine, is that what you're getting to here, these are symptoms of a

larger problem that needs to be addressed? >> 100%. the faa is pulling together all stakeholders and government officials next week in a safety roundtable so we can get at some of these issues because there has been be too many, too often, and there seems to be a real problem here brewing. we have got to take this very seriously and get back to our number one job in aviation, for all stakeholders and government working together to make sure that safety is first. >> sarah nelson, thank you for joining us. >> thank you. still ahead, collapsed roofs, blocked roads and emergency rescurescues, dwindli supplies, inside the dire snow situation in california. >> people want to go to their homes. let them home. >> my husband can't even come home. he's stuck at the bottom of the hill. >> more from residents who are still stranded and the new storm threat looming. plus, is florida the gop's political blueprint? i'll talk with one state senator about how culture war politics

are shaping the legislative session kicking off today. and whether it is a glimpse at the lane ron desantis could command if he runs in 2024. what senator ed markey plans to ask norfolk southern's ceo on thursday when he testifies on the hill about the company's train derailments, plural. we're back in 60 seconds. derail. we're back in s60econds ♪♪ inner voice (kombucha brewer): if i just stare at these payroll forms... my business' payroll taxes will calculate themselves. right? uhh...nope. intuit quickbooks helps you manage your payroll taxes, cheers! with 100% accurate tax calculations guaranteed. power e*trade's easy-to-use tools make complex trading less complicated custom scans help you find new trading opportunities while an earnings tool helps you plan your trades and stay on top of the market

♪ ♪ - why are these so bad? - if i would've used kayak to book our car, we could have saved on our trip instead of during our trip. ughh - kayak. search one and done. cars encased in ice, roofs caving in and food and medicine running dangerously low. that's some of what residents in southern california's mountain communities are dealing with. after more than a week of being snowed in by historic back-to-back storms. officials say they made major progress, clearing roads, but for people trying to stretch supplies and in some cases without power or heat, it is just not fast enough. and in parts of northern california, which is also hard hit, more snow is on the way. nbc's dana griffin is in crestline, california, in the san bernardino mountains. also with us, angie lassman.

dana, at your post, again, with more, just these mounds of snow, i remember it was twice your height yesterday. what are you hearing from people who have been stranded now for a week or more and now they have this looming threat of another storm? >> reporter: good morning. a lot of people are feeling very frustrated this morning. we spoke to several of them who say that they feel like they kind of have been neglected, especially in the higher elevations. many say there are neighbors that are still snowed in, maybe elderly, they can't get out. so a lot of them are hiking down. i spoke to one guy who hiked two miles down the mountain to get supplies and these people are having to take only what they can carry in their hands. they're only taking supplies for a day or two at a time. i want you to hear what this man talked about when he expressed what that journey was like. listen. >> we walked two miles and that's what we have been trying to try to get communication, two

miles back. yesterday we lugged five gallons of gas up to the house so that we can share a generator with our elderly neighbors because we're both freezing to death in our house. you got eight foot of snow around your house, it makes your house 30 degrees inside. you can't -- it is hard to even live. it is warmer out here than it is in my house. it is like stepping into an ice box. >> reporter: so this particular resident is frustrated because he says his road has not been plowed because there is a downed power line and that there is some issue with the power line saying, well, the road has to be plowed for us to pick it up and then the county is saying the line has to be picked up before we plow the road. so i checked in with him this morning and he says his power is back on, but says his road remains unplowed. we know officials say that highway 18, the main highway that was closed is now back open to residents only. they have to show a bill and their license in order to get through there. and officials say they're

touting what they consider progress, major progress, when it comes to clearing the streets. i can tell you our drive here, the roads were a lot wider compared to yesterday when they were much narrower, and the roads appear to be cleared, but as you can see behind me there is still mounds and mounds of snow and nowhere for it to go. >> just incredible video we have been watching of the crews trying to get snow off the roofs. thank you so much. angie, what do we tell that guy? what is coming for them next? >> couple more storm systems in an atmospheric river event that is impactful up and down the coast of california and through oregon and washington as well. let's get you the lay of the land of what is happening right now. you see more rain, more snow, some of that coastal rain is working on shore for folks basically in the northern parts of california and up the coast. this isn't the most impactful of the couple of systems that we're going to see, but it will be something that adds on more rain, more snow over the coming days. no surprise that we have these winter weather alerts up right now, including places like eureka, medford, reading and

yosemite. those will likely stay with us for an extended period and i wouldn't be surprised if we add additional alerts over the coming days. here's what's going on. we'll remain unsettled. i mentioned the atmospheric river events. we have a couple of systems we'll track. they're sitting one offshore right now. this is the pacific low that is hanging out offshore of washington. it is going to spin in some of this moisture. this, again, is going to spread maybe a little bit of snow into this region here over the day -- the next day or so, even tomorrow. we'll start to see some of the northern rockies picking up some additional snow from this system. and some showers along the coast. but this is the second system that we're really going to watch for, big impacts and a whole lot of moisture and the first impacts mainly northern california. this will be up and down california including southern california with additional rainfall and one thing to note with this system is that the snow levels will be a little lower. you'll have snow melts, on top of some of that additional rainfall that could be impressive with all of that moisture just taking a b line

into parts of california. let's look at some of those snow accumulations that we're expecting. this is through thursday. another 1 to 3 feet in parts of the sierras, 1 to 2 feet places like mount shasta, additional rainfall through thursday. we'll tally anywhere from 1 to 2 inches, most of that is focused on the lower elevations towards, of course, the coast. but, again, with those lower snow -- with those snow levels, this is going to be problematic. we could see structural issues, we could see a whole lot of flooding concerns as we head into the end of the week and even into the weekend. >> we know you'll keep track of it, angie lassman, thank you. dana griffin, thank you as well. now to an update in atlanta where 23 people are facing domestic terrorism charges after clashing with police on sunday outside of a planned police training center south of the city. police said a group of outside violent agitators used the cover of a peaceful protest to attack officers throwing bricks, molotov cocktails and fireworks. some setting equipment on fire.

two of the 23 charged are from georgia. the atlanta solidarity fund, which helps bail out people arrested at demonstrations, said it was committed to providing bail assistance and access to legal representation for everyone arrested protesting. it is not clear how much jail time the people charged currently face. right now, fed chair jerome powell is in the hot seat, testifying before the senate banking committee. what he's saying about the inflation we are all feeling and the overall state of our economy. plus, preparing for fireworks on the hill when norfolk southern's ceo testifies thursday about his company's train derailments and the toxic aftermath in east palestine, ohio. i'll talk with senator ed markey, who will get the chance to grill the company's ceo next. to grill the company's ceo next. lactaid is 100% real milk, just without the lactose. tastes great in our iced coffees too. which makes waking up at 5 a.m. to milk the cows a little easier. (moo) mabel says for you, it's more like 5:15. man: mom, really?

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right now, we're keeping a close eye on capitol hill where federal reserve chair jerome powell's testifying before the senate banking committee. lawmakers are expected to press in on how he plans to fight inflation without doing damage to the economy. brian chang is following the hearing for us. a delicate dance he's trying to toe for basically a year now. what are we expecting to hear from him and also what are we thinking the markets are going to do? >> we just saw his prepared marks 20 minutes ago, the hearing just began and the fed chair, who essentially is a steward of our economy, was mentioning that he might have to hit the breaks harder than expected on slowing this economy

to take inflation down. we have seen encouraging signs of year over year inflation slowing over the pace of last year, but it hasn't gotten back down to the 2% target the fed wants to target, so the fed chairman saying if the data comes in and shows inflation still running rampant, they might increase the size of their interest rate increases. but in washington, it is getting a lot of attention because, look, the economy and the prices that people are paying at the store are leading a lot of constituents to pressure their lawmakers. listen to what sherrod brown the senator and head of the senate banking committee said a few minutes ago. >> prices are still too high across many parts of the economy. we know that who feels it the most when the cost of rent and groceries go up, it is not the economic pundits and politicians, it is people working hourly jobs to make ends meet. it is seniors on fixed income and social security. it is everyone who gets their income from a paycheck each month, not an investment portfolio. >> the democrat from ohio laying it out pretty clearly in ways that a lot of americans can

understand and the reason why we need to pay attention to jay powell is because the biden administration made it very clear they're letting the federal reserve, an independent group, do what they need to do to make borrowing costs higher, to take inflation down. there is a lot of pain associated with that. jay powell saying as markets continue to trade down, saying it could be bumpy as they try to get that number down. >> that is not anything people, senders or markets want to hear, thank you so much. we want to turn back now to breaking news in the kidnapping of four u.s. citizens in mexico. governor of mexican state where the americans were taken now says two of those americans have been found dead. the other two found alive. i want to bring back nbc's ken dilanian and back with us by phone, rob d'amico. a heart breaking update for these families. what more are you learning? >> just awful, lindsey. by the way, i don't think they're saying they have been found as in recovered by the united states or by mexican authorities, but it has been determined that two of them died as a result of their injuries

and that when they were attacked by those cartel gunmen. and frankly the people that i've been talking to inside law enforcement, that's exactly what they feared based on the video and you can see the people being dragged, lifeless bodies being dragged into that white pickup truck. what the governor of state of tamaulipas is saying is of the two alive, one is injured and so it really underscores the importance of the activities that are going on right now by the mexican authorities and by the fbi in trying to get these people back. those -- the two that are alive, in particular and save the life of the injured person and there are furious efforts going on right now. the u.s. has a lot of resources to bring to bear in terms of intelligence collection, intercepts, sources in that area and the fbi is pulling out all the stops now, working with the mexican authorities to try to recover these people. >> we should mention as we're watching this video, it is disturbing as ken just described these people being dragged into

the flatbed of this truck. and, of course, we don't know exactly what their condition was at the time this video being taken. but per ken's point, you can see two either gravely wounded or worse. this is now a deadly situation. how does this change? >> well, for the negotiators, it really can't. you can't -- unfortunately you have to get the ones out alive. so, you can talk to them about it, you can do other things, but you have to focus on the ones that are living. it is tough. you compartmentalize a lot, but your job is to get the ones out that you can. so you're going to go back, same thing, get the one that needs medical attention, medical attention. >> keep him alive. get a person to talk to and start talking to them about how you can resolve it. >> rob, how -- can you explain right now how u.s. authorities investigate something like this, that sun folding in a different country. do we have people on the ground there? are we essentially just trying

to get our best help from mexican authorities. what is happening right now? >> some of both. we have agents in mexico, maybe not on the spot, but we are used to dealing with kidnappings where we don't have people on the ground. in afghanistan, we have people on the ground in the embassy like i was and we're constantly dealing with them on the phone, doing other messaging means. so you don't have to have people on the ground, though the mexican authorities that do, they help provide intelligence, they help provide things that we can start looking at. the one good thing about it, it is in another country. we can do things with our satellites and other intercepts that we can't do here in the united states. so there is pros and cons to it being out and being in. and, again, our guys do this all the time. the key is to get a hold of someone that has control that can start talking and making decisions based on the cartel. again, the mexican president doesn't want this. this is going to hurt tourism. they're going down for medical

procedure. it wasn't that they were involved in drugs. so i think that the mexicans really also want this to be resolved peacefully. >> ken, we know there is a state department briefing today at 2:00 p.m. eastern. we don't know the content of that briefing, it could be regarding this case, but we also know the state department has a do not travel warning to mexico. what sort of back channel communications obviously this highlights the importance of diplomacy that we have with our neighbors here, but what sort of back channel conversations are happening right now? >> back channel, front channel, all channels. it is the fbi, the state department, all elements of the u.s. government in communication with mexican authorities. and the real question as rob raised is are they talking to the cartel that seized these people and that killed two americans? are there fruitful negotiations going on? we don't know the answer to that. but, yeah, as you said, this is a place that the state department warned americans not to travel, subject of a level

four travel warning, which is the same as parts of iraq and afghanistan. because of the cartel violence that is endemic to that part of mexico, it is a really terrible situation and the fbi and u.s. government right now working furiously with the mexican authorities to try to resolve it. >> rob, when we take into account what we heard so far from authorities that this could be a case of mistaken identity, and these unknowing americans driving into this area, turf wars with cartels that are reporting had alluded to at the beginning of the hour, how dangerous is the situation right now in these areas? >> well, it is extremely dangerous. if you watch the video and the freedom that these guys -- they're in no hurry. they're not working to do what they did at all. that's where it reminds of you, like iraq and afghanistan they stand and do what they want because they own it. it is more dangerous when they're warring. if that cartel is secure in their space, they're not having issues with other cartels, not having issues with people trying to smuggle things, they're a bit

more secure and it makes other things secure. when they start warring with themselves, and if they thought that these people were human traffickers, that they're having problems with, maybe that's what -- what flared it up, they didn't want the people coming in. so it is all about turf. and if they're secure, it is easier. that's why, again, like i work with the james foley foundation for journalists on how to travel and how to read the signs that the state department and other countries put out, i also do that for corporations and families now because it really is, you have to start paying attention, the information is out there, is it provided to you? is someone going down to get medical? no. you have to look for it. there is other places you can get it too. >> want to bring back morgan chesky now, who sat u.s. mexico border, following up on these tragic new developments here, two american citizens dead, the other two alive or still working to figure out the condition of both of those. we know one of them is injured. we have this video, morgan, we

have been showing you, it is disturbing, it is really tough to watch, but it is a huge clue in this case. what more do we know about the information that authorities are working on? >> reporter: yeah, lindsey, we do know this remains incredibly active between the fbi and the mexican authorities. we do anticipate hearing more from them later today. of course, tragic update from the governor of tamaulipas as you mentioned. i think underscoring all of this, lindsey, is the fact that this area, just a stone's throw from where i'm standing, has been under the state department's level four travel advisory, which essentially says do not travel there and despite that, having been in place in the state of tamaulipas since october 2002, and unfortunately despite that reminder on the very day that this horrific kidnapping took place, we come to where we are right now, with unfortunately two families preparing to grieve, once this word is absolutely confirmed

that the governor said earlier today here, lindsey, and this is a place having spoken to local representatives here, the congressman who represents the district including brownsville said it has been absolutely heart breaking to see the safety of their neighboring city, matamoros, deteriorate over the years because of the presence of the cartel and the violence that it has brought. there were a number of shootings, in fact, that took place just recently, lindsey, that forced local schools to close down. it was so violent, in fact, local officials in matamoros were telling people to stay inside, stay off the streets because of the threat of impending gun violence. that is the daily life that so many are facing just across this bridge from where i'm standing, lindsey. i think that's what makes it so heart breaking when you hear how these four individuals from south carolina came here. they didn't feel like they were having to go physically far, just crossing a bridge here for

a medical procedure, and now we're facing with incredible grief and loss here as something that, according to federal officials, lindsey, comes down to mistaken identity. >> you juxtapose that with what we're seeing behind you and while you were talking, we see people crossing by foot, cars behind you. this is a busy area. people are crossing to and from to go to work, maybe to run errands, see family and friends, who knows. but is there a -- a sense of heightened alarm right now where you are? >> reporter: i had a chance to speak to multiple people who live in the brownsville area. the gentleman who drove me from the airport to the community will go over into matamoros, he says, two, three times a day sometimes depending upon work. i asked him explicitly are there areas in that town that you won't go anymore? he says, you just have to be

aware, which he feels he is, but you couple that with the fact that there are other people, such as the congressman i spoke to, who has not been across the border here, despite being in the brownsville area in years because they feel unsafe. so, it is this moving target, where some areas may be safe for some time and then they explode in violence and i think the unpredictability of the violence just across the border here is what makes it so tough for so many people here to deal with. because, lindsey, a lot of people have to cross for work to see their families. it is a way of life. and so to have to continue with the cartel element and the violence and unpredictability it brings just adds a whole new layer of tension and stress to this community on this side of the river. >> we know it is too early to be talking about justice in this case. we still have two americans who

need to be brought home, hopefully safely. but we have this video that is maybe unique to other situations here. how big of a clue could this be to making sure that the people responsible don't just have cart blanche and are held accountable? >> lindsey, the fbi does it all the time. i brought back -- from colombia, we have gone after the benghazi folks, we're good at piecing this together, getting a case together. everyone is trying to save what they can. but as they're doing that, they are putting the case together, all these videos, all the cell phone information, it is going to go into the case and we're going to try to make a case for it. as i said, one of the best things i ever did in the fbi is bringing people back.

i bought a pirate back from somalia for the killing of four americans. those moments is when the true u.s. justice system comes out because we go after the people who harm americans. >> all right, ken dilanian, rob d'amico, morgan chesky, thank you for the breaking news. we'll continue to monitor and bring you any updates. still to come, how florida has become ground zero for the gop's political agenda and the possible 2024 clues we might hear from governor ron desantis at his state of the state address in the next hour. s at his state of the state address in the next hour untiw downy rinse and refresh! just add to your fabric softener tray. it doesn't just cover odors; it helps remove them up to 3 times better than detergent alone! try new downy rinse and refresh. think he's posting about all that ancient roman coinage? no. he's making real-time money moves with merrill. so no matter what the market's doing, he's ready. and that's... how you collect coins. your money never stops working for you with merrill,

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this morning, more tragic news from norfolk southern. a conductor died after a collision between a train and a dup truck in cleveland. the company is under intense pressure after four train derailments in ohio over the last five months including the train that spilled toxic chemicals in east palestine last

month. on thursday, the ceo will be in the hot seat when he testified before the senate environment and public works committee and with me now is massachusetts democratic senator ed markey, who serves on that committee. senator, thank you for joining us. >> great to be with you. >> what questions do you have for alan shaw and are these incidents so close to one another, indicative of a larger problem either company wide or industry wide? >> well, it is industry wide. and this specific company is a perfect example of what's gone wrong with rail safety in our country. so at this hearing, i'm going to want to know what went wrong, what are the guarantees that it will never happen again, and what is going to be done to guarantee that the families and the businesses in east palestine, especially, are given the compensation that they need, not just in the near term, but in the long-term because

harm to this community is going to go on for a suspended period of time. >> the bearings got really hot. do we have any indication of whether that was a factor here in this subsequent derailment we heard of in which no toxic chemicals were released into the soil? >> well, we're going to have a hearing in order to establish that, but it looks pretty clear that that played a big role in what happened. and, again, this is a man made problem. this didn't happen because of an inadequacy of equipment, it was an inadequacy of a railroad, and the personnel who should have been working for that railroad, to identify this problem. so that it did not harm the community. so, from our perspective, this is going to be the moment where we put norfolk southern under oath, but it is to determine

what we have to do in order to pass strong legislation like senator sherrod brown's legislation to provide real safety protections for the american public. there are more than 1,000 train derailments per year in our country. 1,000 and for too many companies, they think paying a fine is just like paying a parking ticket. and it is so small, the fine, that it is the cost of doing business. we're going to have to put stronger rules on the books, we're going to have to increase the fines to provide a sufficient deterrent so that these accidents don't happen again. >> what also will you do as a senator to make sure the people of east palestine aren't forgotten? >> well, we're going to make sure that norfolk southern not only pays in the short run for the hotel rooms, for the transportation, for these people to move to other cities, temporarily, but long-term the property values in east palestine are being destroyed.

and norfolk southern is responsible and they have to pay these families, these small businesses for the harm they have done to them. we're going to make sure they do that. >> senator ed markey, thank you for joining us. appreciate your time, sir. >> glad to be with you. all eyes on florida this morning because in about half an hour, governor and likely future presidential candidate ron desantis is set to give his state of state address, kicking off the state's closely watched legislative session. and "the tampa bay times" says last year's session, for this year's legislative session, desantis has a preview. you ain't seen nothing yet. for more i want to bring in chevron jones and kevin madden, former presidential adviser to mitt romney. we know the bills are coming from the republican super majority in florida and taking aim at educators, at the media, possibly abortion rights,

immigrants. what would you -- what do you say about the agenda right now and how are florida democrats responding? >> first, thank you for having me. i think the agenda is consistent with how the governor led the state over the last four years. after four years of punishing the people of florida, with actions, largely meant to increase his personal power, unfortunately governor desantis appears to be bringing his corrosive brand of politics on board as he looked for his next presidential run. and i think that's what we're going to hear in just a few minutes as the governor prepares to do his state of the state address. he set the tone and the to the and we have to hear more of that. >> kevin, desantis said he wants to make florida a blueprint for conservatives nationwide. what impact will this have on his national standing, especially if he's eyeing a white house run? >> i think governor desantis would answer senator jones with the fact that he, you know, ran

for re-election. and won by 20 points. so he feels like he has a mandate. and that mandate extends beyond florida and he thinks he can position himself essentially as a champion of this type of politics, these types of policies this agenda with republican-based voters around country. so, desantis is betting that the known will he be rewarded by the republican support in florida, but also in places like iowa, new hampshire, south carolina, which figure very prominently in any early state calendar for potential republican nomination in 2024. >> i want to play something, though, that former maryland governor larry hogan said on morning joe. >> we have got to have a hopeful, positive message that appeals to a broader audience or else we don't get to govern and the democrats are going to be in control of everything and so i

think they're so focused on playing to the base that they're hurting themselves in a general election. >> do you agree? >> yes, it is a very real risk. one of the more troubling parts of our politics right now is that if you ask most activists on the right or the left what animates them, it is the worry that the other side is taking the country in the wrong direction or destroying the country. and so inside a republican primary, democratic primary, speaking to these base activists, you're developing your message on what is it that my base is against, what are they worried about, what are they afraid of? when you have a message that is focused on what you're against, you do lose that opportunity to really have an optimistic message, a very forward looking message, and that is where we win general elections, you win general elections based on the fundamental question, this is a contest for the future of the country and how am i best prepared to lead it.

and who understands the problems of people like me? that's what the average swing voter thinks of. there is a downside risk for a lot of folks inside the republican primary focusing on that very divisive message. >> senator jones, what do you want national voters to know about your state and desantis' leadership? >> i think it is important to point out what is happening in florida is going to make its way to the next state, to tennessee, make its way to arizona. i think there is a much broader war being fought against our ability to be able to question and engage in our democracy right now. this is nothing less than a national campaign to redirect what people can learn and what people can do. and i think one thing we have to be clear on is that with the 22 million people within the state of florida, the needs are different, and the needs are gr. weather insurance. a million people about to be off the medicaid roll about to happen. those are the issues we are bringing back into households so people can understand who is truly fighting for them. not just for their rights but

making sure they can live in their communities and in their household and feel safe and prosperous at the same time. that's what we're fighting. that's what our district knows we're fighting. we're going to continue with that message. everyone else wants to divide, but our goal is to bring individuals together. that's the resounding message throughout for the next two years, while we try to build our party back here in florida. >> we're out of time. thank you so much. senator jones and kevin madden, appreciate you both. the fight over abortion rights. one texas woman said her doctor said she needed one but couldn't get it due to the state law, leading to medical compensations and heartbreak. now, a new legal fight. >> because of the law, i very nearly died. nothing about this is pro life. . with the money we saved, we tried electric unicycles. i think i've got it! doggy-paddle! only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪

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walgreens. governor newsom announced california was, quote, done with the pharmaceutical chain after walgreens told 21 republican attorneys general it'd not sell the abortion pill in their states. this as a new lawsuit is being filed in texas, challenging the total abortion ban, seeking clarity on when doctors can intervene in pregnancies without fear of prosecution. yamiche, walk me through this. >> the group calls this a groundbreaking lawsuit on behalf of seven people who theyharmed the abortion ban. they want doctors to have more discretion to intervene during medical complications. one couple told me they were left traumatized by their experience. here's that report. >> reporter: when amanda and josh found they were expecting a baby girl, they were overjoyed. the name they picked for her,

willow. >> i mean, it was magical. the first 17 weeks were very easy, very smooth sailing. >> reporter: just before week 18, something felt wrong. amanda's body was preparing for labor too early. the news from her doctor was devastating. >> she said pretty quickly, you know, all in one breath, you're going to lose the baby. she's not going to survive. i thought what they would do is go in and intervene immediately. she told me that they couldn't because the baby's heart was still beating. and i wasn't sick. >> reporter: laws in texas banned doctors from performing abortions except when a medical emergency endangers a person's life or major body function. those who violate the law could face up to life in prison. >> take me into what it was like to wait. >> i just existed in sorrow and fear. i was really, really scared. >> this isn't something that you

do with any other kind of medical issue, is you have to ask, am i sick enough for treatment? it was infuriating. >> reporter: three days after the diagnosis, amanda's health deteriorated. doctors performed an abortion, but serious infection led to sepsis and amanda spent three days in the icu. >> because of the law, i very nearly died. nothing about this is pro life. >> reporter: now, amanda is part of a group of seven plaintiffs, represented by the center for reproductive rights, who plan to file a lawsuit against the state of texas tonight. >> until there is a legal fight, nothing is going to change. something has to change. >> reporter: but john siegel, president of texas right to life, who crafted the texas heart beat act, says the law is clear as written. doctors like amanda's are misinterpreting it. >> if they're saying they have to delay and wait the days like you're talking about, that is medical malpractice. but it is uncertain that this child may survive or may not,

texas is saying, we don't jump to conclusions. >> reporter: doctors are saying, the law is not clear, and, as a result, i'm going to act on the side of being cautious. that means i might have to wait for a woman to get sicker and sicker before i can perform an abortion that i know she needs. >> that's the wrong conclusion. >> reporter: nancy northup is the president for the center of reproductive rights. >> the issue is not that the doctors are being too cautious. the reality is, without clarification of this texas law, without a change in the circumstances that are happening today, it is going to come that women are going to die. >> reporter: he disagrees. >> the law is not putting lives in danger, it's black and white about what a doctor can and cannot do. >> reporter: does it give you pause that there are situations that have happened after this law where women's lives have been put at risk? >> yes. our mission is to save lives. so the fact that some women's lives have been jeopardized is something we take very seriously. >> the outfit. >> reporter: amanda and josh are

still grieving their loss. >> i know. >> damn onesie gets me every time. >> reporter: they hope something changes. >> i want nothing more than to have kids, but i'm terrified to be pregnant again. >> now, amanda and josh told me the medical complications that nearly killed amanda because she was forced to wait also damaged her uterus. it'll be even harder for her to conceive. they are hoping this lawsuit could be a blueprint for other states if they win to get more clarity in these cases. >> i feel for her. such an important story to be told for both of them. yamiche alcindor, thank you. that does it for me this hour. i'll be back here tomorrow. "jose diaz-balart reports" starts next. right? uhh...nope. intuit quickbooks helps you manage your payroll taxes, cheers! with 100% accurate tax calculations guaranteed. introducing astepro allergy. cheers! now available without a prescription.

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good morning. 11:00 a.m. eastern, 8:00 a.m. pacific. i'm jose diaz-balart. this hour, a mexican governor says officials now know what happened to four americans kidnapped in mexico. two of them found dead. we've got the new developments. also, a passenger on board a united plane caught on tape attacking and trying to stab a flight attendant after he tried to open the emergency door mid flight. what the faa is doing after a series of scares in the sky. the biden administration reconsidering a controversial policy affecting migrant families at the border. the same policy the president ended after taking office. plus, five women denied