Saturday, November 19, 2016

And The Winner Is: Donald Trump





Once upon a time, presidential candidate Donald J. Trump criticized Judge US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, assigned to handle the federal lawsuit against for Trump's Fraud University. Trump slammed Curiel- who was born in East Chicago, Indiana- for being a Mexican and "a hater of Donald Trump."  He is "a hater," who is "a very hostile judge," Trump contended.

In June, Politics USA observed 

Legal scholars said Trump could face consequences for slamming the judge, although many speculated that Curiel was unlikely to sanction him formally.

“Mr. Trump’s conduct could be subject to sanction for indirect criminal contempt of court,” said Charles Geyh, a legal ethics expert at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law.

Sanctions? Trump has gottena hug, a pat on the rear, and an "atta guy" from the man he condemned because of the latter's ethnic heritage.   Judge Curiel recently encouraged the litigants to seek a settlement, and it has paid off, at least for the president-elect. Trump is ordered to pay $21 million to settle the two class action-suits from California and $4 million from the suit filed by New York State attorney general Eric Schneiderman, for a total of $25 million to be apportioned to the 7,000 students involved.

The settlement still must be approved by the Court.  However, given that Judge Curiel recently had urged the parties to work matters out and has lauded the agreement as "a healing process that this country very sorely needs," it is a done deal.








In consideration of the implication of  the case, let's fire up the wayback machine and go to 1973 when

The Justice Department sued Donald Trump, his father, Fred, and Trump Management in order to obtain a settlement in which Trump and his father would promise not to discriminate. The case eventually was settled two years later after Trump tried to countersue the Justice Department for $100 million for making false statements. Those allegations were dismissed by the court.

Fred Trump had signed a consent order which, a Trump biographer explained,

required the Trumps to place ads in newspapers saying that they welcomed black applicants. It said that the Trumps would familiarize themselves with the Fair Housing Act, which prohibited discrimination. So it also specifically said they don't admit wrongdoing, but they did have to take several measures that the Trumps had fought for two years not to take.

Criticized by his opponent, presidential candidate Trump boasted "We settled the suit with zero, with no admission of guilt."

In separate depositions, a sales executive had labeled the Trump University "a facade, a total lie" and another manager described it as a "fraudulent scheme."  However, Trump's lawyer pointed out the case was settled "without an acknowledgment of fault or liability."

"Let the healing process begin," pleads Judge Curiel. Meanwhile, Mike Pompeo, Jeff Sessions, and Steve Bannon.  Trump wins again.







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