Former FBI Director James Comey said Thursday that it is "not for me to say" whether President Donald Trump was obstructing justice during a conversation in which Comey said Trump asked him to curtail the investigation into ex-National Security Adviser Michael Flynn's contacts with the Russians.
Comey made the comment while appearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, where he was asked multiple questions about his February meeting with Trump. One of his questioners was Sen. Richard Burr (R., N.C.), the committee's chairman, who asked Comey if he believed Trump was obstructing justice.
"In your estimation, was General Flynn at that time in serious legal jeopardy, and, in addition to that, do you sense that the president was trying to obstruct justice or just seek for a way for Mike Flynn to save face, given he had already been fired?" Burr asked.
Comey said Flynn was in legal jeopardy and there was an open investigation into his Russian contacts.
"I don't think it's for me to say whether the conversation I had with the president was an effort to obstruct," Comey said. "I took it as a very disturbing thing, very concerning. But that's a conclusion I'm sure the special counsel will work towards to try and understand what the intention was there, and whether that's an offense."