CNN legal analysts warns Trump's actions are increasingly adding up 'to a potential of an obstruction of justice charge'

A bombshell New York Times report revealed on Thursday that President Donald tried to get his lawyers to stop Attorney General Jeff Sessions from recusing himself from the Russia investigation so he could have his protection from the probe. According to CNN analyst and former federal prosecutor Jeffrey Toobin, that adds to the evidence of the president's attempts to obstruct justice.

Earlier in the segment, Times reporter Maggie Haberman noted that someone associated with Sessions' office went to Capitol Hill a mere four days before former FBI director James Comey was fired — yet another piece of the puzzle.

"This is potentially more evidence that the president was obstructing justice in connection with the Comey investigation," the former prosecutor said.

Sessions recused himself, Toobin noted, because he knew the Russia investigation would eventually touch him.

"By trying to undo that decision through his counsel, [White House attorney] Don McGahn, the president is showing that he wanted to be protected from that investigation," he said. "That is what obstruction of justice is."

"This alone I don't think would amount to a crime in and of itself, but when you look at pattern of behavior, whether firing James Comey for conducting this investigation, whether it is telling [news anchor] Lester Holt and Russian visitors he fired James Comey because of the Russia investigation, all of it adds up to the potential for a charge of obstruction of justice against the president."

The Times reporting, Toobin concluded, "is another brick in that wall."

Watch below, via CNN: