Addressing the Justice Department inspector general’s report on former FBI Director James Comey’s habit of taking personal notes on his meeting with Donald Trump — which he subsequently leaked to friends — a former FBI agent said it was hard to criticize Comey since the president was asking him to break the law.

Speaking with CNN “New Day” hosts John Berman and Julia Chatterley on Friday, attorney Asha Rangappa, who served as a special agent in the FBI, said Comey was caught up on Trump’s “crazy train.”

With regard to the fact that the former FBI director didn’t take his concerns about Trump entreaties to interfere with a criminal investigation directly to the Justice Department, Rangappa noted that then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions had recused himself from the case and that Comey was worried about a cover-up.

“This was a case where he [Comey] was on the crazy train,” she added. “Where he was being asked to commit crimes and to engage in the potential obstruction of justice.”

“I think that there was a sense that, only by making this public and creating some public pressure, would this result in the appointment of a special counsel,” she explained. “I think there are fair criticisms over whether this was the right way to go, but there is actually no manual for how one deals with being asked by the president to commit a federal crime.”

Watch below:

Enjoy this piece?

… then let us make a small request. Like you, we here at Raw Story believe in the power of progressive journalism. Raw Story readers power David Cay Johnston’s DCReport, which we've expanded to keep watch in Washington. We’ve exposed billionaire tax evasion and uncovered White House efforts to poison our water. We’ve revealed financial scams that prey on veterans, and legal efforts to harm workers exploited by abusive bosses. And unlike other news outlets, we’ve decided to make our original content free. But we need your support to do what we do.

Raw Story is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. Unhinged from billionaires and corporate overlords, we fight to ensure no one is forgotten.

We need your support to deepen our investigative reporting. Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Invest with us in the future. Make a one-time contribution to Raw Story Investigates, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click to donate by check.

Enjoy this piece?

… then let us make a small request. Like you, we here at Raw Story believe in the power of progressive journalism — and we’re investing in investigative reporting as other publications give it the ax. Raw Story readers power David Cay Johnston’s DCReport, which we've expanded to keep watch in Washington. We’ve exposed billionaire tax evasion and uncovered White House efforts to poison our water. We’ve revealed financial scams that prey on veterans, and efforts to harm workers exploited by abusive bosses. We need your support to do what we do.

Raw Story is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. Unhinged from corporate overlords, we fight to ensure no one is forgotten.

We need your support to keep producing quality journalism and deepen our investigative reporting. Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Invest with us in the future. Make a one-time contribution to Raw Story Investigates, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you.