Posted on 06/07/2016 2:55:27 PM PDT by maggief
Donald Trump said Tuesday his comments that a Indiana-born federal judge might be biased against him because of his Mexican heritage had been misconstrued by the media.
The presumptive GOP presidential nominee made the assertion in a new statement Tuesday afternoon as he scrambles to contain blowback from Republicans.
"It is unfortunate that my comments have been misconstrued as a categorical attack against people of Mexican heritage. I am friends with and employ thousands of people of Mexican and Hispanic descent," Trump said.
"I do not feel that one’s heritage makes them incapable of being impartial, but, based on the rulings that I have received in the Trump University civil case, I feel justified in questioning whether I am receiving a fair trial."
Trump added that he's "watched as the media has reported one inaccuracy after another concerning the ongoing litigation involving Trump University."
The statement doesn't amount to a repudiation of his earlier comments, but it shows a tacit acknowledgment that he should tamp down his rhetoric.
Trump said in the statement that he will stop his talk of the judge's impartiality.
"I do not intend to comment on this matter any further," he said.
At 705 words, the statement was uncharacteristically long for the Trump campaign, which typically devotes only a few lines or paragraphs to its statements.
It also went on to criticize the former lead plaintiff on the Trump University case, Tarla Makaeff, asserting that she gave the program glowing reviews in its surveys. Trump said Makaeff was only removed from the case "once the plaintiffs' lawyers realized how disasterous a witness she was."
But Makaeff's lawyers had asked for her to be removed citing health and stress issues associated with the new-found celebrity of the case.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/donald-j.-trump-statement-regarding-trump-university
- JUNE 07, 2016 -
DONALD J. TRUMP STATEMENT REGARDING TRUMP UNIVERSITY
It is unfortunate that my comments have been misconstrued as a categorical attack against people of Mexican heritage. I am friends with and employ thousands of people of Mexican and Hispanic descent. The American justice system relies on fair and impartial judges. All judges should be held to that standard. I do not feel that one’s heritage makes them incapable of being impartial, but, based on the rulings that I have received in the Trump University civil case, I feel justified in questioning whether I am receiving a fair trial.
Over the past few weeks, I have watched as the media has reported one inaccuracy after another concerning the ongoing litigation involving Trump University. There are several important facts the public should know and that the media has failed to report.
Throughout the litigation my attorneys have continually demonstrated that students who participated in Trump University were provided a substantive, valuable education based upon a curriculum developed by professors from Northwestern University, Columbia Business School, Stanford University and other respected institutions. And, the response from students was overwhelming. Over a five year period, more than 10,000 paying students filled out surveys giving the courses high marks and expressing their overwhelming satisfaction with Trump University’s programs. For example:
Former student Tarla Makaeff, the original plaintiff in the litigation, not only completed multiple surveys rating Trump University’s three-day seminar “excellent” in every category, but also praised Trump University’s mentorship program in a glowing 5 plus minute video testimonial. When asked “how could Trump University help to meet [her] goals”, she simply stated “[c]ontinue to offer great classes.” Once the plaintiffs’ lawyers realized how disastrous a witness she was, they asked to have her removed from the case. Over my lawyers’ objections, the judge granted the plaintiffs’ motion, but allowed the case to continue.
Art Cohen, a lead plaintiffs in the litigation, completed a survey in which he not only rated Trump University’s three-day seminar “excellent” in virtually every category, but went so far as to indicate that he would “attend another Trump University seminar” and even “recommend Trump University seminars to a friend.” When asked how Trump University could improve the seminar, Mr. Cohen’s only suggestion was to “[h]ave lunch sandwiches brought in” and make the lunch break 45 minutes.
Former student Bob Giullo, who has been critical of Trump University in numerous interviews and negative advertisements from my political opponents, also expressed his satisfaction, rating Trump University’s programs “excellent” in every category. When asked how Trump University could improve its programs, Mr. Giullo simply asked that students be provided “more comfortable chairs.”
Indeed, these are just a few of literally thousands of positive surveys, all of which can be viewed online at www.98percentapproval.com.
For those students who decided that Trump University’s programs were not for them, the company had a generous refund policy, offering a full refund to any student who asked for their money back within 3 days of signing up for a program or by the end of the first day of any multi-day program, whichever came later.
Normally, legal issues in a civil case would be heard in a neutral environment. However, given my unique circumstances as nominee of the Republican Party and the core issues of my campaign that focus on illegal immigration, jobs and unfair trade, I have concerns as to my ability to receive a fair trial.
I am fighting hard to bring jobs back to the United States. Many companies – like Ford, Nabisco, Carrier – are moving production to Mexico. Drugs and illegal immigrants are also pouring across our border. This is bad for all Americans, regardless of their heritage.
Due to what I believe are unfair and mistaken rulings in this case and the Judge’s reported associations with certain professional organizations, questions were raised regarding the Obama appointed Judge’s impartiality. It is a fair question. I hope it is not the case.
While this lawsuit should have been dismissed, it is now scheduled for trial in November. I do not intend to comment on this matter any further. With all of the thousands of people who have given the courses such high marks and accolades, we will win this case!
Donald J. Trump
The judge belongs to a group called The Race Lawyers Association which has ties to the National Council of The Race.
Who is the racist?
throw it right back in their laps- beautiful...i just wish he would point out the racist statements of obama co and how the media, which is now enraged, nodded their heads in agreement...
I hate MSM and ALL dishonest “journalists.”
The damned judge is the RACIST and the GOPEers who are trashing Trump should all shut up and lose their re-ections races..whenever they may be.
“The damned judge is the RACIST and the GOPEers who are trashing Trump should all shut up and lose their re-ections races..whenever they may be.”
Has any GoP’er who has mouthed off ever really supported Rrump? this i the hand he was dealt. He needs to play it. And he needs to play it himself. By listening to the moles and old GopE dregs, he won’t stand a chance.
I am trying to figure out if this was somehow planned or simply an ad hoc comment the other day that as taken over the news cycle, flushed out a few more Never Trump people, and with the eyes on the Trump U lawsuit, removed it from the table as an issue—the issue now is a demonstrateably biased judge. Funny in a way, as we now have Lyn’ Ted, Ryan, McConnell, and others siding with Clinton to defend a biased judge. That’s a win for Trump.
Due to what I believe are unfair and mistaken rulings in this case and the Judge’s reported associations with certain professional organizations,
...
Organizations based on ethnicity. If it were a white judge, he’d by vilified.
Bunch of sound and fury signifying nothing.
Excellent news :-)
The only way Trump can lose at this point is to back down. Ever. On anything.
One would expect the hostile, leftist media to see and report anything that Trump says in the most negative way! There are countless examples of this severe bias. I think that it is a deliberate attack by a corrupt media. But that is nothing new.
What is disappointing are the shallow, unfriendly reports by the GOPe like Ryan and McConnell who, also, like the leftist media, misconstrued the comments by Trump. Why do they jump on the bandwagon so quickly with the leftist Democrats?
The questions remain. Is the judge racist because he favors La Raza? Is not La Raza an organization that favors Latinos, and is therefor racist? Are the lawyers pressing the case, agents of Hillary? If they are biased and corrupt, does the media care? Probably not, because the media are leftists themselves.
Is all of this a window into how politicians operate, Democrat and Republican? How can the voters get a fair shake? What has happened to our country?
Wow - someone got Trump to apologize.
Big mistake. He perhaps shouldn’t have called the guy a Mexican, but pointing out the judges left-wing racist-latino connections with the Mexican KKK was spot-on.
He should have renewed the attack, focusing on the judge’s politics.
My dad had that kind of mind, and I do to some degree. This statement looks like Trump had some help completing his thoughts.
JMHO
And he's so consistent---all of the organizations he listed are plotting to overthrow the US govt.
“He should’ve made it clear that the judge might have bias because of his Mexican identification, but added that not all Mexicans practice such favoritism.”
My thinking exactly. Trump made a big mistake the way he approached this whole issue. La Raza and the Hillary/Law firm money should have up front. He lost a lot of news cycles, he should have been attacking Hillary on the IG report, the economy and Libya.
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