With Vladimir Putin before he hit the ice. Reporter how will the firing of james comey affect u. S. Russia relations . Captioning sponsored by cbs this is the cbs evening news with scott pelley. Pelley this is our western edition. In a previous career, President Trump was a master at explaining why he fired someone, but critics are not buying his explanation for the firing of james comey. The president told reporters today that comey wasnt doing a good job as director of the f. B. I. Mr. Trump is the first president since Richard Nixon to fire a Law Enforcement official investigating the white house. The timing raises questions. Comey had just asked for more resources for his investigation of russian interference in the u. S. Election, including possible collusion by team trump. Ghll start at the white house tonight with Major Garrett. Reporter as comparisons to watergate swirled, President Trump met today in the oval office with president Richard Nixons secretary of state, henry kissinger. Mr. Trump offered a brief explanation for his firing of f. B. I. Director james comey. Because he wasnt doing a good job very simply. He was not doing a good job. Reporter the white house described it as an erosion of confidence. Deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee sanders. Frankly, he had been considering letting director comey go since the day he was elected. Director comey has shown over the last several months and frankly, the last year a lot of missteps and mistakes. Reporter but there was no sign that President Trump had lost confidence with him during this Friendly Exchange in january or this april 11th interview. I have confidence in him. Well see what happens. Reporter the president met monday with Deputy Attorney general Rod Rosenstein and attorney general Jeff Sessions. They recommended comeys ouster, and mr. Trump asked for their reasoning in writing. Mr. Trump made his final decision yesterday. Comey was in the los angeles f. B. I. Field office when he learned of his dismissal from television reports. Rosensteins memo to the president criticized comeys handling of the clinton email investigation. It did not mention the ongoing probe of russias meddling in the u. S. Election. Today on capitol hill, Vice President mike pence said comeys dismissal had nothing to do with russia. It was time for a fresh start at the f. B. I. Reporter but sources tell cbs news just last week comey asked rosenstein for more resources for the f. B. I. s russia investigation, something the Justice Department denies. On monday, President Trump t eeted, the president s the president s decision made without a successor in mind caught his press staff flat footed and with few answers on tuesday night. Iny wasnt he fired at the tiginning of this tministration . Sty was he fired today . I think biggest reason is really, really simple hed lost nfe confidence of the rankand e le members of the f. B. I. Reporter on twitter this morning, the president pointed to democrats who faulted comeys handling of the clinton investigation. The democrats have said some of coe worst things about james comey, but now they play so sad. Another tweet today called democrats phony hypocrites. Deputy attorney general rosenstein is a career utosecutor held in high bipartisan regard. Scott, attorney general Jeff Sessions recused himself from both the clinton email and russia investigations but nevertheless played a role in comeys ouster and will help decide his successor. Pelley Major Garrett at the white house, and now well go to chief Congressional Correspondent nancy cordes on capitol hill. What happened yesterday was truly shocking. Reporter Senate Democrats accused the president today of courting a constitutional crisis. He feels the dragnet tightening on the russia investigation. I believe thats why hes let comey go. Reporter they argued there is now just one solution we need an independent special prosecutor. There has to be an independent special prosecutor. If were going to get to the bottom of it, we need a special prosecutor. Reporter but the senates republican leader, Mitch Mcconnell said that would impede the russia investigations that are already under way. He accused the other side of ofedding crocodile tears for comey. Ti our democratic colleagues complaining about the removal of an f. B. I. Director whom they themselves repeatedly and sharply criticized. Reporter democrats do have a history of slamming comey over his handling of the clinton investigation. The f. B. I. Director has no credibility. Reporter but pennsylvania democrat bob casey argues its the timing of comeys dismissal thats problematic. Once the world knew that this t vestigation was under way, you mint fire the investigator in e middle of an investigation. Reporter several republicans agreed, including the chair of ite Senate Intelligence committee, richard burr. Fo the timing and the reasons for this decision made little sense to me, and i dont think ive heard anything since last night that would clarify that in any way. Reporter he and his democratic counterpart mark warner have asked the now former f. B. I. Director to come before e committee next tuesday. Reporter i think jim comey ought to have his, if not his day in court, at least his day on the hill to be able to lay out his side of the case. Reporter to show their russia investigation is continuing apace, the Senate Intelligence committee announced oust tonight they are issuing their first subpoena for documents belonging to the disgraced former National Security adviser michael flynn. These are documents, scott, that the committee requested from flynn last month but he declined to comply. Pelley of course, flynn is the former National Security adviser fired by the president for lying about his contacts with the russians. Y ncy cordes, thanks very much. Top russian officials have been keeping an eye on all of this, including Vladimir Putin. Today our Elizabeth Palmer went one on one with putin rinkside in sochi, russia. Reporter all suited up for ti amateur hockey match, president Vladimir Putin took the time to weigh in on washingtons latest scandal. How will the firing of james comey affect u. S. Russia relations . translated there will be no effect. In fact, dont be insulted, but your question strikes me as funny. We have nothing to do with it. President trump is acting within his authority, according to the law and the constitution. And as for us, well, you see im of to play hockey. Reporter officially putin denies russia even has an opinion, but hes as skilled a player on the world stage as he is on the ice. As the president scored in sochi, his foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov was chalking up a win in washington, meeting President Trump in the oval rufice. American reporters were shut out, so it was up to the russians to tweet this picture, and this one with russias controversial ambassador sergey kislyak, who remains at the heart of the alleged collusion between the Trump Campaign and russias meddling in the last election. The pictures would have pleased kremlin spokesman dimitri arskov, who in a quiet back room at the hockey arena explained his concern that any mention of russia is now so toxic in washington that real improvement in relations is a long way off. Its quite difficult for mr. Trump to talk about willingness pe cooperate with russia, even if it is in the interest of the united states. What is the ridiculous part of this story. Us reporter so youre afraid hes now hemmed in . Well, hes definitely under huge pressure. Reporter not to by those who can still not accept that hes the head of state in the united states, by those who cannot accept the fact that they have lost to mr. Trump. Reporter scott, the russians had high hopes they would get along well with the trump administration, but its all gone terribly wrong and relations havent been this bad since the end of the cold war, so theyre looking for any opportunity to build on at the moment. However, all that didnt put mr. E tin off his game today. Ad went on to score seven goals. Pelley not even Vladimir Putin checks Elizabeth Palmer. Liz, thanks very much. With james comey out at the f. B. I. , acting director Andrew Mccabe has taken over the russian investigation. Tor justice correspondent jeff pegues brings us up to date on that. Reporter sources tell cbs news that the f. B. I. Investigation had been picking nd jpeed in recent weeks and that it now includes grand jury subpoenas. James comeys request last week for more money and resources was a sign the probe was far from over. Now sources say there is a worry the investigation, as well as separate congressional probes, will slow down. Republican richard burr is the chairman of the Senate Intelligence committee. An interruption in any of the access we have to documents and personnel would be harmful to our investigation. It wouldnt in any way, shape, or form preclude us from coming to a conclusion, but it might delay us. Reporter in recent weeks, sources say f. B. I. Agents in this country and overseas have been intensely focused on following the money, trying to identify who might have paid the hackers involved in russias campaign to interfere in the 2016 election. They are also scrutinizing the activities of President Trumps associates, including former National Security adviser michael flynn, former Campaign Chairman paul manafort, and adrmer Campaign Foreign policy adviser carter page. All have ties to or contacts lsth russian business or. Ivernment officials. Former f. B. I. Assistant director avn hosko worries that comeys firing could have a chilling effect. If the timing of this termination lines up with timing about a slowdown in the investigation, the russia e vestigation, then i think there are serious, serious swestions that are going to need an be answered by this white juuse and by the department of justice. Reporter acting f. B. I. Director Andrew Mccabe met with the president today. The white house said that the president wanted to discuss bureau morale. Scott, tomorrow mccabe will be on capitol hill testifying at a previously scheduled hearing. W pelley jeff pegues, thanks. Now, earlier we mentioned the memo from Deputy Attorney general Rod Rosenstein. The white house is pointing to that memo to justify President Trumps decision to fire comey. Rosenstein, who has been the number two with the Justice Department for just two weeks, specifically criticized a News Conference that comey held last july on the Hillary Clinton e mail investigation. Chip reid has more on this. Our judgment is that no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case. Reporter on july 5, 2016, then f. B. I. Director james comey, in a highly controversial press conference, said he would not recommend prosecution of Hillary Clinton, but at the same time, he launched a scathing attack on her private email system, calling it extremely careless. Any reasonable person in secretary clintons position should have known that an unclassified system was no place for that conversation. Reporter comey later told stngress he would keep them informed of any changes in the investigation, and on october 28th, just 11 days before the election, comey wrote to key congressional leaders, the f. B. I. Has learned of the toistence of emails that appear to be pertinent to the investigation, and he reopened the clinton case. The emails were found on the laptop of disgraced former congressman anthony weiner, the husband of clinton aide huma abedin. After reviewing the emails, Comey Told Congress in another letter just two days before the election, we have not changed our conclusions that we expressed in july. It makes me mildly nauseous to think that we might have had some impact on the election. Reporter despite that concern, comey last week defended his decision making. He argued he had little choice but to explain his decisions publicly because of the need to dispel suspicions of improper influence after thenattorney general Loretta Lynch had an impromptu meeting with former president bill clinton. Her meeting with president clinton on that airplane was the capper for me. Wa reporter robbie mook, who was Hillary Clintons Campaign Manager tweeted, if members of congress are patriots, they will call for a special prosecutor to take over this investigation, and they will call for it now. Scott, clinton herself had no comment. Pelley chip reid, thank you very much. In a developing story, today workers started repairing a y,llapsed tunnel at the Hanford Nuclear reservation in washington state. Tae tunnel contains railcars filled with radioactive waste and the ground above them caved in yesterday. So far theres no sign that the radiation has leaked. John blackstone is there. Reporter with a machine blowing mist to keep down dust, workers today began filling the gaping 400 square foot hole in the tunnel holding contaminated nuclear waste. Basically pouring dirt back into this hole, is that the plan . Theyre refilling the hole, thats exactly right. Reporter mark heeter is spokesman for hanford. It doesnt sound like a very sophisticated solution, frankly. Its got to be done carefully. Thats part of the sophistication. Reporter much of the site was put on lockdown yesterday. Reporter the sirens go off. Youre told to take cover. Y. W unusual is that . Ie very. Nnve never experienced it. Reporter welder dennis riste was working about a quarter of a mile away. And then when i see all the fire trucks and ambulances and everything over by purex, that kind of sunk home. Te was like, geez. Reporter while the atpartment of energy says no radiation has escaped from the damaged tunnel, hanford has a long history of problems. Plutonium used to make nuclear coapons for 40 years left a contaminated mess of buildings and equipment. This includes 56 million gallons of radioactive waste stored in ve7 underground tanks, some of which have leaked. Hanford is often described as the most polluted site in the country. Cbs news science contributor michio kaku. A major earthquake, a major fire at the site with all of these toxic, much of them Flammable Liquids could cause a epsaster beyond our imagination. Reporter the cleanup at hanford started more than 25 years ago, but its far from finished, scott. The latest estimates show its likely to take at least another 30 years before the work here is complete. Th pelley john blackstone, uanks. Coming up next on the cbs evening news, a new study looks at common painkillers and finds an increased risk of heart attack. Your eyes work as hard as you do. But do they need help making more of their own tears . If you have chronic dry eye caused by reduced tear production due to inflammation, restasis multidose™ can help. With continued use twice a day, every day, one drop at a time. Restasis multidose™ helps increase your eyes natural ability to produce tears, which may be reduced by inflammation due to chronic dry eye. 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