CNN’s Jeffrey Toobin: 'Comey's statement establishes obstruction of justice by Trump'

A CNN legal expert reacted strongly after reading the opening remarks former FBI Director James Comey reportedly plans to make in front of Senate lawmakers Thursday.

On Wednesday, Jeffrey Toobin, a former Assistant U.S. Attorney, tweeted, "Comey's statement establishes obstruction of justice by Trump. Period."

And during an appearance on CNN the same day, he told the panel, "There is a criminal investigation going on of one of the president's top associates—his former national security adviser [Michael Flynn]...He gets fired, he's under criminal investigation, and the president brings in the FBI director and says, 'Please stop your investigation.'"

Toobin then declared, "If that isn't obstruction of justice, I don't know what is."

He was likely alluding to the section in the former FBI director's statement which describes a February 14 Oval Office meeting Comey had with President Trump.

According to the document, the two men were alone when "the President ... returned to the topic of Mike Flynn, saying, 'He is a good guy and has been through a lot ... I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go."

Comey, however, notes in his statement that "I did not say I would 'let this go.'"