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CNN Panel: 'There Were No Scandals' in Obama's White House

March 5, 2019

There were no scandals in former President Barack Obama's administration, CNN's chief legal analysts agreed Monday night.

"You know, people in Barack Obama's White didn't have to hire lawyers because there were no scandals," Jeffery Toobin said.

When his fellow "Situation Room" panelists laughed, Toobin doubled down, referencing former president George W. Bush's administration.

"It's true," he said. "George W. Bush, there were no scandals to speak of in the White House."

Toobin's comment came during a discussion about Rep. Jerry Nadler's (D., N.Y.) decision to ask 81 people and organizations to turn over information for the House Oversight Committee's investigation into President Donald Trump's business dealings.

Fellow panelist and CNN chief political analyst Gloria Borger nodded her head after Toobin's comments.

"That's the way it is now," she said. "That's the way it is now."

"I mean, yeah, it's like not all presidents are are the same," Toobin said. "I mean, this is a president who is under investigation for good reason."

Borger agreed, adding the possibility of facing legal trouble is a known risk when working for the current administration.

"Well, and anybody going into this White House knows upfront you're going to end up having to hire a lawyer," she said.

Toobin nodded again.

"That's true, yes," he said. "We agree on that."

Obama himself claimed he had a scandal-free presidency while speaking at a technology conference in May 2018.

"I didn't have scandals, which seems like it shouldn't be something you brag about," he said. "But actually, if you look at the history of the modern presidency, coming out of the modern presidency without anybody going to jail is really good. It's a big deal."

Obama made similar comments in February 2018, when he said his White House "didn't have a scandal that embarrassed us."

Critics of Obama have pointed out a number of scandals during his presidency, including former secretary of state Hillary Clinton's email scandal, the administration's response to the 2012 terror attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi, and a scandal involving the IRS targeting conservative organizations.