In an interview broadcast Friday, presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump continued to go after a federal judge overseeing a case against Trump University, saying the Indiana-born judge is “very proud” of his Mexican heritage.
“I have had horrible rulings. I’ve been treated very unfairly by this judge,” Mr. Trump said on CNN. “Now, this judge is of Mexican heritage. I’m building a wall, OK? I’m building a wall.”
That’s a reference to the wall Mr. Trump has pledged to build along the United States’ southern border.
Mr. Trump said U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who is overseeing the case, is also a member of a society that is “very pro-Mexico.”
“And that’s fine. It’s all fine,” Mr. Trump said. “But I think he should recuse himself.”
Judge Curiel is overseeing a case involving litigation tied to allegations that the presumptive GOP nominee’s Trump University real estate courses defrauded participants.
Mr. Trump said “thousands and thousands” of people have given the course great reviews and that he should have won the case on summary judgment.
“He’s proud of his heritage, OK? I’m building a wall,” Mr. Trump said, saying he’s going to do well with Hispanics because he’s going to bring back jobs.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal published Thursday, Mr. Trump was quoted as saying that Judge Curiel’s Mexican heritage presented a conflict of interest in the case because of Mr. Trump’s pledge to build the border wall.
“I think I’m going to do very well with Hispanics, but we’re building a wall. He’s a Mexican,” Mr. Trump said on CNN.
“We’re building a wall between here and Mexico. The answer is he is giving us very unfair rulings - rulings that people can’t even believe,” he said. “This case should have ended years ago on summary judgment.”
“This judge is giving us unfair rulings,” he said. “Now I say, why? Well, I’m building a wall, OK? And it’s a wall between Mexico — not another country.”
Pointed out that the judge is from Indiana, Mr. Trump then referred to his “Mexican heritage.”
“And he’s very proud of it,” he said.
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, who threw his support behind Mr. Trump on Thursday, told a Wisconsin radio station Friday that the comment about the judge was “out of left field.”
“It’s reasoning I don’t relate to. I completely disagree with the thinking behind that,” Mr. Ryan said on WISN.
“And so, he clearly says and does things I don’t agree with, and I’ve had to speak up on time to time when that has occurred, and I’ll continue to do that if that’s necessary,” Mr. Ryan said. “I hope it’s not.”
Mr. Trump said Mr. Ryan doesn’t know the case.
“This is a case I should have won on summary judgment,” Mr. Trump said.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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