Jeffrey Toobin Returns To CNN After Exposing Himself On Zoom Call

Topline

Jeffrey Toobin returned to CNN’s airwaves Thursday, eight months after the network’s longtime top legal analyst was fired by the New Yorker for exposing himself during a work Zoom call, an incident Toobin called “deeply moronic and indefensible.”

Jeffrey Toobin attends the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s Conversations with Tom Brokaw on October 7, 2016 … [+] in New York City.

getty Key Facts

Toobin will reclaim his previous role as CNN’s chief on-air legal analyst after requesting leave from the network last fall, a CNN spokesperson told Forbes.

In an on-air interview with CNN’s Alisyn Camerota, Toobin confirmed reports that he accidentally left his webcam on during a break in a virtual meeting with New Yorker staff in October, and masturbated on-camera while his colleagues could still see him.

Toobin apologized to his coworkers and family, thanked CNN for allowing him to return to TV, and said he’s “trying to become the kind of person that people can trust again.”

Crucial Quote

“Obviously, I wasn’t thinking very well or very much,” Toobin told Camerota in a Thursday afternoon interview. “I thought that I had turned off the Zoom call. Now, that’s not a defense. This was deeply moronic and indefensible.”

Tangent

The New Yorker fired Toobin over the Zoom incident, following a suspension and internal investigation. Toobin told CNN the decision was “heartbreaking” and seemed excessive.

Key Background

For years, Toobin was front-and-center during CNN’s coverage of major legal stories like the Mueller report and former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment. He also contributed to the New Yorker for decades, he’s written several books, and he told Camerota he’s currently working on a new book about the Oklahoma City bombing.