A nationwide sweep leads to a historic antigang crackdown. Good morning from the studio 57 newsroom at cbs news headquarters here in new york. Good to be with you. Im annemarie green. It is becoming almost impossible to keep track of the changing white house accounts of what led up to the firing of fbi director james comey. There are multiple conflicting explanations and now the president has contradicted his own administration, admitting the russia investigation did play a role. And the acting director of the fbi has weighed in on the investigation and comeys firing. Hena daniels is here in new york. Good morning. Good morning, annemarie. President trumps attempt to set the record straight on why he fired james comey this week is fueling more questions than answers. Over the last few days, members of his own administration have repeatedly maintained the decision had nothing do with russia and was recommended by key members of the Justice Department. But now the president is saying something entirely different. Hes a investigation into possible collusion of it also played a role. He even detailed several discussions he had with the former fbi director about the probe. We had a very nice dinner, and at that time he told me, youre not under investigation. A white house official said comey was invited to the white house back in january for a private dinner with the president during which mr. Trump repeatedly demanded he pledge his almighty. Comey declined, instead pledging only to be honest with President Trump. The revelations came on the same day acting director Andrew Mccabe became before the senate panel disputing the claim he was unpopular among rank and filefbi ajechblts. Director comey received broad support from the fbi and still does today. It has raised questions inside the fbi, that the white house is trying to interfere with the russia investigation. The white house insists it wants to see the probe come to conclusion with integrity. At least 20 democrat attorney generals are now joining growing calls for a special prosecutor to lead the investigation into russian meddling in the 2016 election. President trump heads to virginia tomorrow to deliver a commencement address at liberty university. Hena daniels here many new york. Thank you so much, hena. Acting fbi director Andrew Mccabe also said the firing would not delay the investigation of the possible coordination between the Trump Campaign and russian. Mccabe described it as low priority. He called the probe highly significant and said he would not tolerate interference from the white house. You cannot stop the men and women of the fbi from doing the right thing, protecting the American People and upholding the constitution. Its uncertain if mccabe will remain the head of the fbi. The Trump Administration is int interviewing other candidates for job. Deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein who wrote the memo the president said was the impetus for firing comey has been invited to brief senators next week. Democrats want to ask him about the circumstance leading up to the memo. Democrat senator Chuck Schumer says he wants answers by monday. Ahead on cbs this morning, President Trumps firing of james comey has been compared to actions by president nixon. Well talk to cbs news political contributor Bob Schieffer who covered the Nixon White House all about that. And this morning the u. S. And china reached a trade deal the Trump Administration says will reduce americas trade gap with china. The agreement is a result of talks that began following last months meeting between President Trump and chinese president xi jinping. Mr. Trump had bashed chinese trade practices during the campaign. The new deal allows u. S. Companies to ship natural gas to china, chinese borders would open o the u. S. Beach, the u. S. Would allow cooked chinese poultry to be sold in this country. Critics are calling the executive order a sham. Voting Rights Groups say it will lead to stricter voting requirements making it harder for minorities and the poor to vote. Reporter President Trump delivered what he promised in his tweet calling for a Major Investigation into voter fraud. He signed an executive order thursday creating a commission on it. They will follow the facts where they lead. Meetings will be open for comments. Reporter Vice President mike pence will lead it along with secretary of state kris kobach known for his efforts to enforce strict laws. Voter fraud was a major theme for mr. Trump on the campaign trail and the election. He tweeted in addition to that i got the popular vote. He said that 3 million to 5 Million People voted illegally in 2016, but theres mo evidence to back up his claim. Christopher is a researcher. Its rare and it calls into question the purpose of this commission. And there are concerns the panel may recommend new regulation making it harder to vote. Regulation of the vote in the name of widespread voter fraud is likely to, you know, affect eligible voters as opposed to identifying ineligible voters. Reporter President Trump predicts theyll be able to complete the report by 2018. Kenneth craig, cbs news, the white house. The Homeland Security department announced the largest antigang crackdown in agency history. More than 1,300 alleged gang members across the United States have been arrested in the last six weeks. The crackdown is part of the Border Security and illegal immigration. 344 foreigners living in the u. S. Illegally were taken into custody. And the justice didnt has begun its own investigation of the Fatal Shooting of an africanamerican near dallas. 15yearold jordan edwards was killed when former officer roy oliver fired into the car as they were leaving a party. Hes on bond charged with murder. Severe thunderstorms and damaging winds are moving over from the south into the northeast. Heavy rains could lead to flooding in some areas. Last night high winds damaged a church and tore down trees in east central texas. No one was injured. Chief meteorologist eric fisher of our boston station wbz has the mothers day weekend forecast. After quite a bit of Severe Weather last night, were watching a storm thats kind of in a transition phase for friday. Moving across the southeast. Were still tracking thunderstorms but a lower threat. Then it becomes a chilly evening rain climbing up through new york city late saturday into sunday morning and eventually through mothers day itself. Its bringing kind of dreary conditions. Chilly temperatures. Look at saturdays highs in the 40s and 50s for much of the midatlantic into the northeast and then for mothers day itself our coldest air will be focused on new england, hovering well below average for this time of year. Not really gardening weather for mothers day. Its chilly in the northeast and west as well, but most of the country looking very bright and very warm on sunday. Its a nice travel weather expected. Then a total pattern shift as we head into next week. Cooler in the east, warmer in the west. Its all about summer warmth and colder air turning to much of the west coast and intermountain west. Im eric fisher for cbs news. Happy mothers day for all the moms out there. Coming up on the morning news, a reversal for amtrak. A new call for prosecution for the deadly derailment. And later a scouting exodus. The Mormon Church pulls thousands of boys from the boy scouts. This is the cbs morning news. He also prescribed lyrica. Fibromyalgia is thought to be the result of overactive nerves. Lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. For some, lyrica can significantly relieve fibromyalgia pain and improve function, so i feel better. Lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions. Or suicidal thoughts or actions. Tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior. Or swelling, trouble breathing, rash, hives, blisters, muscle pain with fever, tired feeling, or blurry vision. Common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands, legs and feet. Dont drink alcohol while taking lyrica. Dont drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. Those who have had a drug or alcohol problem may be more likely to misuse lyrica. With less pain, i can be more active. Ask your doctor about lyrica. Incr. Think it wouldotection in a pwork, but it does. Dnt. Its called always discreet for bladder leaks, the super. Absorbent core turns liquid to gel. I know im wearing it but no one else will. Always discreet for bladder leaks. Find fast relief behind the counter allergies with nasal congestion . With claritind. [ upbeat music ] strut past that aisle for the allergy relief that starts working in as little as 30 minutes and contains the best oral decongestant. Live claritin clear, with claritind. La vie est belle la vie est belle the eau de parfum, lancome customize your free 6piece gift. Available now, at macys. Walt disneys vision of the hand drawn theme park will be up for bid in california. Disney and friends drew it in 1953 as they rushed to get funding to build disneyland. Well, the Mormon Church moves away from the boy scouts and the new push to prosecute for the deadly amtrak crash. Those are some of the headlines on the morning newsstand. The cincinnati inquirer reports that security of a boy being attacked in a School Bathroom will be made public. The 8yearold hanged himself just two days after the attack last january. The family claims the School Staffer reacted too slowly. If the school had told mom that your son was assaulted, your son had lost consciousness for over seven minutes, she would have immediately had him taken to the hospital and had him examined. School officials said the mother was advised to hospitalize the boy. The coroner is reopening the investigation of his death. The Philadelphia Inquirer says a judge wants criminal charges filed against the engineer in the 2015 amtrak derailment. The citys District Attorney had decided just this week not to charge Brandon Bostian in an amtrak crash that killed eight people. They say the state should take over the case to avoid a conflict of interest. Rising hepatitis rates are linked to abuse of painkillers. More than 1 of infants in the state had the infection at birth. Researchers say some women in Rural Counties are injecting opioids. The Salt Lake Tribune says the Mormon Church is phasing out its longtime support of the boy scouts. The church is moving older boys out of two scouting programs and into activities of its own. Church Officials Say the change is not due to scoutings openness to gay and transgender members. And the new yorker compares the firing of fbi trelkter jams comey to the infamous Airline Percentage jer in a cartoon character. They show the passenger being dragged out of a plane as President Trump watches. Still to come, sweet and local. Well show you how candy makers have come up with a plan to make their treats a little bit healthier. O make their treats a little bit healthier. The thing thats really important to dentists is to make sure that that enamel stays strong and resilient for a lifetime. The more that we can strengthen and reharden that tooth surface, the whiter their patients teeth are going to be. Dentists are going to really want to recommend the new pronamel strong and bright. It helps to strengthen and reharden the enamel. It also has stain lifting action. Its going to give their patients the protection that they need and the whiter teeth that they want. If you have moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, isnt it time to let the real you shine through . Introducing otezla, apremilast. Otezla is not an injection or a cream. Its a pill that treats plaque psoriasis differently. Some people who took otezla saw 75 clearer skin after 4 months. And otezlas prescribing information has no requirement for routine lab monitoring. Dont take otezla if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. Otezla may increase the risk of depression. Tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts, or if these feelings develop. Some people taking otezla reported weight loss. Your doctor should monitor your weight and may stop treatment. Side effects may include diarrhea, nausea, upper respiratory tract infection, and headache. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, and if youre pregnant or planning to be. Ask your dermatologist about otezla today. Otezla. Show more of you. Heres a look at todays forecast in some cities around the country. Five major candy makers are teaming up to tackle the elephant in their room. Theyve agreed to cut the calories in many sweets. Nestle, wrigley, and mars chocolate are among the participating companies. Theyre reacting to shoppers increasing aversion to sugar. On the cbs moneywatch, tough times for macys and burger king brings back a cheesy favorite. Jill wagner is at the New York Stock Exchange with that and more. Good morning, jill. Good morning, annemarie. Stocks on wall street finished slightly lower yesterday following reports from major retailers. The dow lost 23 points, the s p fell 5 points, the nasdaq ended 13 points lower. Macys was one of those retails that lost big. Sales fell 4 in the last quarter. Its Stock Plunged by about 17 . Macys was the biggest loser on the s p, but it was just one of a number of retailers that reported lower sales including kohls, dillers, and nordstroms, and this happens as more people are shopping online. The Labor Department reports that claims for jobs fell by 2,000. Analysts say it reflects the strength of the job market. Last week the government reported the Unemployment Rate fell to 4. 4 last month, its lowest level since 2007. Americas largest wireless carrier verizon will pay about 13. 1 billion to buy Straight Path communications. They own various wireless services. They can be used for super fast, next generation and broadband services. Back by popular demand, mac cheese cheetos are returning. Theyre made of mac cheese in cheetosshaped sticks that are deepfried. Last summer they were constantly sold out. This is coming may 18th. Annemarie. I feel like its a color weve never seen in nature. Cheetos orange. Only in america. Still ahead, military hardware comes out of retirement for a new fight. Reporter im Chris Martinez in sacramento, california, where aircraft once used to fight wars are being repurposed for a different kind of battle. Ill tell you about their new mission coming up. gasp just head shoulders . I thought it was just for, like, dandruff new head shoulders. Cleans, protects and moisturizes to. Get up to 100 flakefree and unbelievably beautiful hair its not head shoulders, its the new head shoulders and let roomba from irobot help with your everyday messes. Roomba navigates your entire home. Cleaning up pet hair and debris for up to 2 hours. Which means your floors are always clean. You and roomba, from irobot. Better. Together. Arsonist may be on the loose. Police are still looking for the gunman who opened fire on another driver in wine country. And President Trump is now directly contradicting his own administration on the reason why fbi director james comey was fired. Well hear from the president and the acting fbi director. Join us for kpix 5 news this morning. Beginning at 4 30. Good morning. , 8drw s heres look at todays forecast in some cities around the country. A horse that usually gives rides gets one instead. It was airlifted yesterday from a 300foot ravine in california. The horse and its rider tumbled off a trail near san bernardino, but theyre both going to be okay. Former military aircraft are getting fixed. Reporter with a creative nod to both past and present, mechanics are giving new life to long forgotten machines of war. Theyve been sitting there for a number of years out in the boneyard. They run the largest firefighting air fleet in the world, nearly all of it made up of rehabbed military aircraft. 48 of their 51 planes and helicopters once flew in combat. The newest edition, this grummond 215 sg flew in 1968 and was flown in vietnam. When the war ended, the plane was retired. Cal fire found it rusting away in an arizona junkyard. Its now being fully rehabbed for a new battle. Where cal fire puts the retardant tank now to drop on fires, thats where you had one or two torpedos. Reporter every modification for every aircraft is done entirely in house. It really is phenomenal to watch. Reporter dave says they keep as much of the original aircraft intact as possible. If they current find the part, they can manufacture the part. Reporter theyll find out how their new plane performs when its deployed in 2018, nearly 50 years after flying its First Mission half a world away. Chris martinez, cbs news, sacramento. Coming up after your local news on cbs this morning, a pair of snapchatting climbers take a shot at their newest climb up a mountain. Im annemarie green. This is the cbs morning news. N is one of those steps in helping prevent another stroke. Be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. The toothpaste that helpstax, prevent bleeding gums. If you spit blood when you brush or floss you may have gum problems and could be on the journey to much worse. Help stop the journey of gum disease. Try new parodontax toothpaste. Its clinically proven to remove plaque, the main cause of bleeding gums. For healthy gums, and strong teeth. Leave bleeding gums behind. New parodontax toothpaste. Nearly 50 years after flying its ,,,, our top story this morning. In a broadcast interview President Trump said the Russian Investigation was on his mind when he fired james comey. That contradicts Previous White House explanations that pin a decision on a Justice Department memo. President trump told cbs news comey is a showboat and a grandstander. And President Trump signed an executive order creating a commission to review the Election Voter fraud. He claims during the campaign voters voted illegally. It could lead to stricter requirements that could make it harder for minorities and the poor to vote. Some republican lawmakers have faced anger at town Hall Meetings this week. Crowds have been fired up about health care. Now the decision to fire james comey is giving new fuel to that anger. Tell the truth tell the truth reporter at one town hall answer the last question. Reporter open your after another. Open your eyes. All right, all right. Reporter Congressional Republicans on recess this week have been getting an earful, and now another issue is testing their hearing. I have a question in regards to russia. Reporter firing the head of the fbi as the bureau investigates the firing. Would he fire the fbi director because thats a pretty dumb move. Reporter blum represents a town that twice voted for barack obama but turned red in november. In marshaltown blum was repeatedly asked to defend it. Among them, he was not worried. One guy, even if its the head guy, it doesnt make any difference whether the investigation goes forward or not. Reporter fellow trump supporter varity hand was even less concerned. If the russians worked with trump to get trump elected, is that troubling to you . No. Overall, how do you think President Trump is doing . I think that he is doing very well. Reporter that is the answer weve been getting in state after state since the inauguration from the people donald trump calls his base. Dean reynolds, cbs news, marshal town, iowa. Well, coming up after your local news on cbs this morning, the largest terminal swap ever at an active airport as more than a Dozen Airlines relocate at l. A. X. Plus, well show you how theyre keeping swimmers safe amid a spike of popular predators at a dangerous beach, weekend go inside the riskiest attempt to climb mt. Everest with who two snapchatting thrill seekers. Thats the cbs morning news for this friday. Thanks for watching. Im annemarie green. Have a great day. Captions by vitac www. Vitac. Com im kenny choi. And i good morning. It is friday. We are celebrating, finishing up strong, everyone. It is friday, may 12. Im kenny choi. Im michelle griego. Lets say hello and happy friday to jaclyn and brian. How are you doing . Happy friday. Im intermittently conscious. [ laughter ] i saw some possums i havent seen since october. They keep my yard busy. Lets do the weather. By this afternoon, temperatures mostly in the 60s around the bay area. But as you head out this morning, well, a little chilly start. Numbers in the low 50s. As you can see, right now, its 52. Oakland 54. In livermore, 50. By this afternoon, doesnt look bad. More sunshine today than yesterday. Mothers day looks good. Well have details coming up. First lets check on the road ahead with jaclyn. Happy friday. We ar