New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito took the point position in Democrats’ assault on Donald Trump for remarks about the Mexican heritage of a federal judge, denouncing it as “racist” and “vile.”
“I am also a proud Latina and I am disgusted by Donald Trump’s hateful, xenophobic and bigoted attacks on U.S. District Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel,” Ms. Mark-Viverto said at a press conference on the sidewalk outside Trump Tower in New York.
“Let’s not mince words here — Donald Trump’s attacks on Judge Curiel are racist,” she said. “He’s quite literally saying Judge Curiel can’t do his job because of his ethnicity. That is the definition of racism.
“It’s gross. It’s vile and it is not normal behavior for anyone — let alone someone running to be President of the United States,” Ms. Mark-Viverito said.
Her full-throated attack on the presumptive Republican presidential nominee provided a preview of the onslaught faced by Mr. Trump
The real estate tycoon exposed himself to harsh criticism, which also is coming from top Republicans, by saying the ethnicity of District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who was born in Indiana to parents from Mexico, created a conflict of interest in considering a case against Trump University.
Mr. Trump is being sued by students who claim they were ripped off by the Trump University, which teaches courses in real estate strategies.
Likely Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton called the remark “typical Trump-ism” that supported her argument that Mr. Trump doesn’t have the temperament needed to occupy the White House.
“Trump’s continuing ethnic slurs and rants against everyone, including a distinguished federal judge, I think makes my point rather conclusively,” she said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.”
Republicans who have rebuked Mr. Trump’s comment include House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who has been mentioned as a potential running mate for the billionaire businessman.
Mr. Trump called the comment by Mr. Gingrich “inappropriate.”
“All I’m trying to do is figure out why I’m being treated so unfairly by a judge and a lot of people agree with it,” Mr. Trump said on Fox News’s “Fox & Friends” program.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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