Donald Trump says his recent comments about the judge in his Trump University case have been “misconstrued as a categorical attack against people of Mexican heritage.”
In a written statement released Tuesday, Trump continued: “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.”
The presumptive GOP nominee added an attack on the media.
“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,” Trump said in a statement.
The judge, Gonzalo Curiel, was born in Indiana and is an American citizen. Trump has been sued by former students who claim that the education provided at his self-titled university was worthless.
Trump has been heavily criticized, including by some leading Republican figures, for suggesting that the judge could be biased against Trump because Curiel had Mexican immigrant parents.
“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, Trump wrote. “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.”
Trump says students who decided that Trump University’s programs were not for them were refunded.
The statement concludes: “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!”