Trump: Judge's ethnicity matters in Trump University suit

[webfact]

Trump: Judge's ethnicity matters in Trump University suit
By JILL COLVIN and JEFF HORWITZ

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump is trying to deflect attention from a class-action civil lawsuit involving the former Trump University by pointing to the ethnic background of the judge in the case.

Asked on "Fox News Sunday" what U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel's ethnicity has to do with the lawsuit against him, Trump replied:

"I think it has to do perhaps with the fact that I'm very, very strong on the border, very, very strong at the border, and he has been extremely hostile to me," Trump said.

According to the California class-action complaint in front of Curiel, a one-year apprenticeship that Trump University students were promised ended after students paid for a three-day seminar. Attendees who were promised a personal photo with Trump received only the chance to take a photo with a cardboard cutout. And many instructors were bankrupt real estate investors.

Trump University emerged as a campaign issue at Thursday's GOP debate, raised by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.

"There are people who borrowed $36,000 to go to Trump University, and they're suing now — $36,000 to go to a university that's a fake school," Rubio said. "And you know what they got? They got to take a picture with a cardboard cutout of Donald Trump."

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz jumped in, adding: "It's a fraud case. ... I want you to think about, if this man is the nominee, having the Republican nominee on the stand in court, being cross-examined about whether he committed fraud."

At a rally in Arkansas on Saturday, Trump took a break from his standard campaign speech to downplay the lawsuit pending against the business, which was founded by Trump and offered students instruction on real estate investments.

"It's a small deal, very small," Trump said of the suit, which could force him to take the stand this summer.

Trump specifically railed against the judge in the case, and at one point noted the judge's Hispanic ethnicity.

Trump claimed the case should have been thrown out years ago, "but because it was me and because there's a hostility toward me by the judge - tremendous hostility - beyond belief." He then noted, as an aside: "I believe he happens to be Spanish, which is fine. He's Hispanic — which is fine."

A message left for Curiel, was not immediately returned. Curiel is a judge in the Southern District of California and based in San Diego.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, whose office has filed a separate civil $40 million complaint against Trump University in state court, accused Trump of "racial demagoguery." Schneiderman sued Trump University in 2013 alleging it committed fraud and fleeced 5,000 people out of millions of dollars.

"I will not engage in a debate about ongoing litigation," Schneiderman said in a statement issued after Trump made his comments. "But there is no place in this process for racial demagoguery directed at respected members of the judiciary."

Schneiderman noted that New York's state Supreme Court ruled that Trump University operated illegally in New York as an unlicensed educational institution.

Schneiderman's suit alleges that Trump University falsely promoted itself as an educational institution even after the state education department warned it to stop. The complaint accuses Trump of falsely promising that Trump University students would receive intense training from experts hand-picked by Trump himself.

During breaks in the seminars, Schneiderman's complaint alleges, participants were urged to call their credit card companies and ask to increase their credit limits. Once the credit lines were secured, Trump University staff tried to persuade students to pay for additional services.

Trump, at the rally, dismissed the cases as the work of "a sleazebag law firm" and suggested that Schneiderman's intervention was politically motivated.

"I could've settled this suit numerous times. Could settle it now. But I don't like settling suits," Trump said.
___

Horwitz reported from Washington.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-02-29

[keemapoot]

I've sought and obtained the recusal of a federal judge before, and there are certainly times where it is warranted.

In this case, Trump isn't being very clever, it's just further cementing his image of racial intolerance.

[Publicus]

falsely promising that Trump University students would receive intense training from experts hand-picked by Trump himself.

Sounds like the Trump cabinet white house and administration to include federal judges.

OP says most "instructors" were bankrupt real estate investors who presumably would be among the people Trump considers the best and brightest most qualified to hire.

Donald Trump.

[manarak]

falsely promising that Trump University students would receive intense training from experts hand-picked by Trump himself.

Sounds like the Trump cabinet white house and administration to include federal judges.

OP says most "instructors" were bankrupt real estate investors who presumably would be among the people Trump considers the best and brightest most qualified to hire.

Donald Trump.

par for the course in any investing "training" - the teachers are all failed investors. would a successful investor use his time teaching others for a small wage ??

[johnnynmonic]

falsely promising that Trump University students would receive intense training from experts hand-picked by Trump himself.

Sounds like the Trump cabinet white house and administration to include federal judges.

OP says most "instructors" were bankrupt real estate investors who presumably would be among the people Trump considers the best and brightest most qualified to hire.

Donald Trump.

par for the course in any investing "training" - the teachers are all failed investors. would a successful investor use his time teaching others for a small wage ??

The old saying; "those who can, do. Those who can't, teach," holds true here.

[Publicus]

falsely promising that Trump University students would receive intense training from experts hand-picked by Trump himself.

Sounds like the Trump cabinet white house and administration to include federal judges.

OP says most "instructors" were bankrupt real estate investors who presumably would be among the people Trump considers the best and brightest most qualified to hire.

Donald Trump.

par for the course in any investing "training" - the teachers are all failed investors. would a successful investor use his time teaching others for a small wage ??

The old saying; "those who can, do. Those who can't, teach," holds true here.

One could guess all that got taught was how to go bankrupt and what to do through and after a bankruptcy.

The Donald must have created Trump University as a place to shelve his failed employees of his failed corporations all of which had gone bankrupt.

A blatant swindle by a con man who instead of leaving things to his big bucks lawyers attacks the federal judge's' ethnicity and motives, while Trump directly accuses the judge of bias, prejudice, retaliation, retribution, revenge. In short, Trump believes everyone is as petty as he is.

Trump displays no interest in business ethics or the rule of law. None. A complete exploitation of the institution of education in the society and economy also.

[spidermike007]

This is par for the course with Trump, and something many of his supporters refuse to study, look into, research, or even consider. He is a scoundrel, a thief, a liar, and a charlatan. This kind of behavior is something he does every day of his life. His entire career has been created out of shorting others. His idea of the art of the deal, is a deal where the person you are doing the deal with suffers, and gets cheated. He cannot, and will not engage in fair business practices. It is against every principal in his being, and he utterly refuses to let anyone do a deal with him that is fair.

Only much later, after this fool is running the country, will his supporters figure out just who he is. And it will be far too late. His intentions are positively heinous. And virtually everything he has promised is a lie. That is what he does. He does not care what he tells you now. He will not, and does not plan to honor any of his promises. So, go on dreaming about making America great again. It is never going to be the nation it once was. And he will never be the president he promises to be. He does not have it in him.

Trump has always felt he is above the law. This so called University is just another example of that.

Edited February 29, 2016 by spidermike007

[Pinot]

Ease up Publicus, we gotta see Trump get the nomination first.

It's funny to hear the Republicans go on about HRC and the email server nonsense, when their candidate is in court with a $40 million judgement hanging over his head.

Wait till his taxes get released, that should be a crowd pleaser.

The irony, the hypocrisy and the downright stupidity just make this, the best election EVER.

[blazes]

falsely promising that Trump University students would receive intense training from experts hand-picked by Trump himself.

Sounds like the Trump cabinet white house and administration to include federal judges.

OP says most "instructors" were bankrupt real estate investors who presumably would be among the people Trump considers the best and brightest most qualified to hire.

Donald Trump.

par for the course in any investing "training" - the teachers are all failed investors. would a successful investor use his time teaching others for a small wage ??

The old saying; "those who can, do. Those who can't, teach," holds true here.

IT GOES ON: "those who can't teach, teach teachers. And those who can't teach teachers become educational administrators".

[spidermike007]

Trump on his tax issues:

However, Trump conceded, “I try and pay as little tax as possible, because I hate what they do with my tax money. I hate the way they spend our money.”

In terms of taxes, Trump has said, “I know people making a tremendous amount of money and paying virtually no taxes, and I think it's unfair.”

Trump's response was that he'd love to release his beautiful, classy tax returns, but that he can't because he is being audited, a problem which, I'm willing to wager, will conveniently make it impossible for him to release them until sometime after November 8.

And the content of Trump's returns is a legitimate issue: It's a standard rite of passage for presidential candidates to release their tax returns as an exercise in transparency and for policing conflicts of interest. It'd certainly be interesting to see what sort of tax rate Trump pays and what sort of estate planning he has engaged in. (Remember Romney's absurd $100 million IRA?) How much money did he make on businesses, such as his Trump University, that were built on fraud?

http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/pat-garofalo/articles/2016-02-26/donald-trumps-real-tax-return-problem-at-the-gop-2016-debate

ABC News stated there’s no way to prove or disprove that Trump has any ties to the mob, or any other crime organization. The fact is, his (continued) refusal to disclose his reported income is concerning and tells the American people that Trump is hiding something about his income. Ted Cruz was correct in stating that there is much not known about Donald’s income sources. It’s not a secret that Donald Trump has some ties to the mafia. However, is it possible his tax returns could reveal he was more involved than originally believed?

Well, of course he has ties to the mafia. He is a mafia don himself, in the way he conducts his business. Surely there are mafia chiefs that are more honest than Trump.

http://www.inquisitr.com/2837115/problem-for-trump-mafia-connection-the-reason-for-tax-return-refusal-ted-cruz-warns-of-tax-problems-in-donald-trump-campaign/

And his tax cut proposals are equally ignorant, as many of his other proposals:

The numbers are startling, according to the new report: Trump’s proposals for consolidating and slashing individual and corporate tax rates and getting rid of the estate tax would reduce federal revenues by an estimated $9.5 trillion over the coming decade and an additional $15 trillion over the subsequent 10 years. And that’s before accounting for the government’s added interest costs from having to borrow substantial sums to make up for the revenue shortfall and keep the government operating.

http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/2015/12/23/Trump-s-Tax-Cuts-Would-Add-245-Trillion-Debt

[Familyaffairs]

God help the world if this wheeling, dealing war mongering mongrel gets in....using bankrupt instructors at his so-called 'university' , many of his own ventures went bankrupt, empty promises made. The only US leader ever considered persona non grata in Britain. Peed off the whole Scottish nation with his golfcourse strong arm tactics.....Trump management kicked out of a Panama development for alleged cheating. Laid off many workers, yet rails against other employers....Does he have any ethics at all? Is this how America will lead the world? Whatever respect left will be swiftly gone soon after his election.

[Publicus]

Sounds like Donald Trump might like to wine dine and provide 'entertainment' to delegates of the R party national nominating convention. All gratis of course...

R party establishment figures want desperately to get their convention past the first nominating ballot without Trump winning it. Take the process to a 2nd ballot and a third to nominate Rubio or perhaps even Romney again....Yogi Bear rather than Donald Trump.

Trump has a fierce will and determination and repeats how he is funding his own campaign from his mountain of bucks. He'd go to any length in a convention fight if one does occur, based on the OP and posts.

[Srikcir]

"I believe he happens to be Spanish, which is fine. He's Hispanic — which is fine."

No, he happens to be American.

[Rob13]

Edited February 29, 2016 by Rob13

[bendejo]

"You trusted Donald Trump, you got screwed, and you learned from it. Class dismissed! "

That's what $36k buys you these days.

[puck2]

Poor Trump, "tremendously" innocent lamb.

Trump claimed the case should have been thrown out years ago, "but because it was me and because there's a hostility toward me by the judge - tremendous hostility - beyond belief." He then noted, as an aside: "I believe he happens to be Spanish, which is fine. He's Hispanic — which is fine

A typical Trump reaction.

He still thinks he is the boss of his reality show the election process, the only one to decide what is right, true, normal and legitim. Don't you dare to contradict me

Wait, there are more skeletons in the closet. Then Mr. Trump will repeat the same words again. And... if it would be a "black" judge ?

Edited February 29, 2016 by puck2

[ozyjon]

It's good to be the king

[Ulic]

God help the world if this wheeling, dealing war mongering mongrel gets in....using bankrupt instructors at his so-called 'university' , many of his own ventures went bankrupt, empty promises made. The only US leader ever considered persona non grata in Britain. Peed off the whole Scottish nation with his golfcourse strong arm tactics.....Trump management kicked out of a Panama development for alleged cheating. Laid off many workers, yet rails against other employers....Does he have any ethics at all? Is this how America will lead the world? Whatever respect left will be swiftly gone soon after his election.

These are some of the reasons I like Donald Trump so much. Everything you say is true but

Trump bring things into the spotlight. This is America and the exposed system. Lyndon Johnson,

Richard Nixon and his cabinet including Henry Kissinger Nobel Peace prize winner are not war

criminals not because they did not drop millions of bombs killing millions of people on countries

that America was not at war with, but because They were never tried/convicted by the UN.

Johnson and Nixon killed millions of civilians, US bankers made billions of dollars on dodgy

deals, if you do business with Trump you are dealing with the devil. No presidents went to

jai, no bankers went to jail, and Donald Trump is not going to jail. This is the way things work.

Donald is a shyster, deal with him or do not. Many, many, businesses in the world are run by

equally slippery characters. The Donald is just one of the most successful characters, who makes

more money on his name (brand) than all others put together. An extremely successful used

car salesman. That guy can sell ice to the Inuit, and sand to the Bedouin. He sells and people

buy. Now he is selling himself to the US public to be the next President of the United Stated and

I think he is no more corrupt than the rest of the candidates on offer. Of course Just my opinion.

Go, Donald.

[Ulic]

Sign me up.

[up-country_sinclair]

This is par for the course with Trump, and something many of his supporters refuse to study, look into, research, or even consider. He is a scoundrel, a thief, a liar, and a charlatan.

You're exactly right.

And you'll notice that the Trump fanboys have not joined this thread because the facts fly in the face of the mythology they've bought into.

[arjunadawn]

Its so obvious how people read into news what they wish to. Wear others see this OP as validation that Trump is this, or that, I see it as verification that he is hitting a nerve. I also agree with Trump by this point that "I don't give a damn what he does, I will still vote for him." With each passing day the venom and BS that is manufactured and the crap that is thrown at Trump's wall to see what stick, tells me more about the rightness of Trump's charges than any shortcomings he may have.

I see instead more of the vested interests and Social Engineers protesting that all their malevolent designs are threatened. I most definitely prefer to see America gridlocked, derailed, stalled, then to see it "progress" one step further toward the left.

[Chicog]

Oh dear, John Oliver has torn Donald a new one.

I can't wait for the latest threatened lawsuit.

[Muzarella]

Sincerely I was expecting not to found Trump supporters in this Forum.

This is an Online Forum, and I have to believe that people here know how to browse the Internet.

There are tons of information online about all the Trump's scams, frauds, and fraudulent bankruptcies, not only in the US. The last one giving him a $20.000.000 profit was in 2008 in Mexico, for Trump Towers in Baja California never built. There is an active court class action, that probably will be cited during the campaign at some point.

He also was big part of the Bank and Housing crash in 2008, profiting from it, and NEVER he said anything about.

He just was lucky, that all the other Rep candidates are so weak, and not prepared to deal with a professional crook.

Unfortunately, Trump got a chance to become President of the US, to get even richer with his dishonesty...or.... that chance is also called "Free Market"???

It is true that the choices are very limited...but...What is happening?..Also "intelligent" people are not interested in what kind of candidate they are supporting for a Presidency?

Edited February 29, 2016 by Muzarella

[Publicus]

Ease up Publicus, we gotta see Trump get the nomination first.

It's funny to hear the Republicans go on about HRC and the email server nonsense, when their candidate is in court with a $40 million judgement hanging over his head.

Wait till his taxes get released, that should be a crowd pleaser.

The irony, the hypocrisy and the downright stupidity just make this, the best election EVER.

Point well taken from up there on the North Shore.

However now is the time to feed the beast. The schism in the Republican party has suddenly passed through the threshold. The schism occurring now is irreversible. It is at the point of no return.

Feeding it while Trump is at the verge of securing the delegate count for the Cleveland nominating convention in July is the right strategy at the right time. (Anyone who's passed through Cleveland immediately recognises why it's called the "Mistake on the Lake.")

Rubio getting recognition and encouragement to rip at Trump's throat announces to all of us that Republicans have begun the sanctioned process of tearing themselves apart and asunder. The schism has opened wide and the party has begun its crashbomb speed.

Feed the beast starting now.

[puck2]

What a pity that all these torture promoters aren't themselves subject to such a procedure.

I would like to see Trump being waterboarded to hear about his tax "avoidance".

The same for all the unscrupulous rightwings here in the forum. After all ask him/them again about waterboarding and torture.

The longer Trump is in the headlines because of his screwed news, the more I think about a new specimen of mankind in parts of the US

• they must have one new gene on their DNA which is connected to violence, inhumane and cruel behaviour plus offence

• with a brain - if existing at all - slipping out of the head down below the belt or belly

• with a heart and common sense - the same as above

• who like rich men no matter what they are yapping

• who like egomaniacs, completely uncontrolled, biased in discussions, specially in TV

How to improve this?

Listen to Trump or read the comments of the VISA rightwings (if you are able to endure it).

[chuckd]

What a pity that all these torture promoters aren't themselves subject to such a procedure.

I would like to see Trump being waterboarded to hear about his tax "avoidance".

The same for all the unscrupulous rightwings here in the forum. After all ask him/them again about waterboarding and torture.

The longer Trump is in the headlines because of his screwed news, the more I think about a new specimen of mankind in parts of the US

• they must have one new gene on their DNA which is connected to violence, inhumane and cruel behaviour plus offence

• with a brain - if existing at all - slipping out of the head down below the belt or belly

• with a heart and common sense - the same as above

• who like rich men no matter what they are yapping

• who like egomaniacs, completely uncontrolled, biased in discussions, specially in TV

How to improve this?

Listen to Trump or read the comments of the VISA rightwings (if you are able to endure it).

There are always more liberal forums you can join. You might avoid all this nastiness.

[lostboy]

What a pity that all these torture promoters aren't themselves subject to such a procedure.

I would like to see Trump being waterboarded to hear about his tax "avoidance".

The same for all the unscrupulous rightwings here in the forum. After all ask him/them again about waterboarding and torture.

The longer Trump is in the headlines because of his screwed news, the more I think about a new specimen of mankind in parts of the US

• they must have one new gene on their DNA which is connected to violence, inhumane and cruel behaviour plus offence

• with a brain - if existing at all - slipping out of the head down below the belt or belly

• with a heart and common sense - the same as above

• who like rich men no matter what they are yapping

• who like egomaniacs, completely uncontrolled, biased in discussions, specially in TV

How to improve this?

Listen to Trump or read the comments of the VISA rightwings (if you are able to endure it).

There are always more liberal forums you can join. You might avoid all this nastiness.

Strange Charles that you see TVF as a natural home for the right-wingers. Don't be fooled by the grumpy, old, white pensioner demographic. You have probably placed so many people on your ignore list that you only ever read posts from like-minded people.

The Trump fanboys think he is immune no matter how egregious his statements or actions. The real heat is just starting. You lot are going to have your work cut out for you finding ways to spin such a crass, low taste candidate.

[chuckd]

What a pity that all these torture promoters aren't themselves subject to such a procedure.

I would like to see Trump being waterboarded to hear about his tax "avoidance".

The same for all the unscrupulous rightwings here in the forum. After all ask him/them again about waterboarding and torture.

The longer Trump is in the headlines because of his screwed news, the more I think about a new specimen of mankind in parts of the US

• they must have one new gene on their DNA which is connected to violence, inhumane and cruel behaviour plus offence

• with a brain - if existing at all - slipping out of the head down below the belt or belly

• with a heart and common sense - the same as above

• who like rich men no matter what they are yapping

• who like egomaniacs, completely uncontrolled, biased in discussions, specially in TV

How to improve this?

Listen to Trump or read the comments of the VISA rightwings (if you are able to endure it).

There are always more liberal forums you can join. You might avoid all this nastiness.

Strange Charles that you see TVF as a natural home for the right-wingers. Don't be fooled by the grumpy, old, white pensioner demographic. You have probably placed so many people on your ignore list that you only ever read posts from like-minded people.

The Trump fanboys think he is immune no matter how egregious his statements or actions. The real heat is just starting. You lot are going to have your work cut out for you finding ways to spin such a crass, low taste candidate.

Naw, I only have four people on it.

I only have those people that are really obnoxious on it. You're close but haven't reached the summit just yet.

[Publicus]

The federal court rejected Trump's lawyers usual filings that Trump was entirely absent from Trump University so he had no knowledge of the ongoing practice of fraud there that netted tens of millions of bucks. That approach is an old Trump tact to avoid being personally charged or personally bankrupt.

The judge said the for-profit "university" had Trump's name on it. It's also the case Trump University was not registered with the state (New York) nor had TU applied to any recognised education body for an accreditation review. The issue is whether TU was entirely a money making scam conceived, organised and executed as such.

Judge Hands Down Potentially Crushing Ruling Against Donald Trump In Racketeering Lawsuit

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/class-certified-in-trump-university-class-action-2014-10/

This is good because it's long past time the law started going after the corporate big fish. Focusing on New York City might set off some dominoes.