Donald Trump Surrogate Slammed By Fox News’ Megyn Kelly — Called Trump Bringing Up Judge’s Ethnicity A ‘Slip Of The Tongue’ [Video]
The controversy over Donald Trump’s comments at a San Diego rally on the judge who will be handling one of the lawsuits involving Trump University will not die down, as a Trump surrogate deflected questions on last night’s edition of Fox News’ The Kelly File.
Host Megyn Kelly began the segment be re-airing some of the comments Trump made about the judge, Gonzalo Curiel.
“I have a judge who is a hater of Donald Trump,” he said. “His name is Gonzalo Curiel, and he is not doing the right thing.”
https://youtu.be/SD9jKIy6Pms?t=8m52s
Trump went on to say that he thinks Curiel is “Mexican,” adding that “they should look into Judge Curiel, because what Judge Curiel is doing is a total disgrace.”
Trump’s comments were in reference to documents related to the Trump University case which Judge Curiel made public. According to reporter Trace Gallagher, the documents are a “playbook” for everything about Trump University — the series of classes Trump opened up a decade ago, purportedly to teach people his secrets to financial success. Students were charged $35,000 to enroll, and now many are suing him for fraud.
“Trump claimed he personally picked the instructors” for Trump University, Gallagher said, “but later, in a deposition admitted that he didn’t pick them — in fact, didn’t know their names.”
Trump on fed judge born/raised in Indiana: "His name is Gonzalo Curiel [and] happens to be, we believe, Mexican." https://t.co/xTarpq1InU
— John Gramlich (@johngramlich) May 31, 2016
Gallagher also noted that the Trump campaign has come on board with the notion that Judge Curiel is “biased” against their candidate. For instance, Gallagher aired a clip of Trump surrogate Katrina Pierson saying that Curiel was associated with La Raza, an organization which she says has been organizing anti-Trump demonstrations.
Kelly pointed out, however, that the La Raza Lawyers Organization, which Curiel was associated with, is separate from the group that is organizing the anti-Trump protests. “They are not affiliated, and they are not the same,” Kelly said.
Kelly then questioned the “appropriateness” of Trump going after Judge Curiel in a pending case, pointing out that he is not Mexican, but was born in America.
David Wohl, a Trump surrogate, called going after Trump on this issue “a non-sequitur.” Kelly interjected, “Why does [Trump] keep mentioning [Curiel’s ethnicity]?”
Wohl asked how Trump’s going after Curiel “is any different from Barack Obama, in the 2010 State of the Union, when he excoriated Supreme Court Justices who were sitting right in front of him, about a Citizens United case, Megyn.”
“Also inappropriate and out of line,” Kelly said, talking over Wohl.
“So you justify bad behavior by pointing to other bad behavior,” Kelly replied.
Wohl ignored her statement, then declared that the Trump University case should have been dismissed “on a summary motion.”
Kelly countered that the Court of Appeals upheld the case, then brought it back to the race issue.
“Listen, you can say there’s no merits to the case, and Trump will get his day in court,” she said. “But to go after the judge, as a (quote) ‘Mexican’ and a ‘Hater’ takes it to a different level.”
Ben Shapiro, a Trump opponent who was also commenting, agreed. “Absolutely, and the fact that Trump supporters have to rely on, ‘Barack Obama was a bad guy, therefore if our guy does the exact same thing, it’s just doubly as awesome.’ ”
After Wohl interjected, Shapiro asked him, “Why is it better that Trump did it,” after President Obama allegedly did the same thing. “I thought we were running against Barack Obama.”
Wohl responded that after referring to Judge Curiel as a “Mexican,” Trump then said he had “millions of Mexican supporters.”
Kelly and Shapiro both laughed.
Trump “loves the Mexican people… sometimes there’s a slip of the tongue” @DavidWohl on Trump’s criticism of TrumpU case Judge. #KellyFile
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) June 1, 2016
“I mentioned it because I wanted to take this opportunity to express my love for the Mexicans,” Kelly intoned sarcastically, mocking Trump as she waved her arms in the air.
“Megyn, I admit sometimes you have a slip of the tongue…” Wohl said.
“He does it repeatedly!” Kelly shouted, interrupting Wohl. “Nobody would give [Trump] a hard time if he just said, ‘I don’t like this judge. I don’t think he’s been fair to me, but I’m gonna get my day in court.’ Great. Go for it. That’s fine.”
“For Trump, there’s a bizarre connection between ethnicity and ideology.” @benshapiro talks Trump University Judge on #KellyFile
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) June 1, 2016
“That’s what he said,” Wohl interjected.
“No, it isn’t,” Kelly replied angrily.
“What we’re debating here is [Trump] taking it a step further, personalizing it, going after the guy’s ethnicity, and he does it every time!”
Kelly went on to say that Trump “creates a bias where none exists and demands that the person be removed.”
Wohl responded that after Trump attacked Curiel, the judge then released the Trump University documents, and said that perhaps Trump’s lawyers will move for recusal — another judge to hear the case.
“So basically,” Shapiro replied, “when you insult the judge, and the judge does something that he’s perfectly allowed to do, and there’s a motion before the court to release these documents, then you say he has to recuse himself. So you create the issue. And the only solution is for Trump to get what he wants?
“And by the way, this ‘slip of the tongue’ nonsense: when you keep slipping your tongue in the same direction, you sort of have to figure that there’s a little bit of intentionality to it.”
What do you think? Does it matter that Donald Trump mentioned Judge Gonzalo Curiel’s ethnicity? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below.
[Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images]
