Trump Settles Lawsuits Over Bogus Trump University, Forking Over Millions (TWEETS/VIDEO)


President-elect Donald Trump has said that he does not settle lawsuits; like many things Trump says, however, this is simply not true. Trump’s latest example comes this morning, as he has agreed to pay a $25 million legal settlement for the civil cases against Trump University. This comes despite the fact that he once said:

“It would be easy for me to settle the case, it’s a simple civil case… Probably I should, but I don’t want to because I give them a great soundbite, but I don’t settle cases. I don’t get sued because I don’t settle cases, I win in court.”

Two of the Trump University lawsuits were presided over by Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who Trump infamously spoke of in May by saying:

“I believe he happens to be Spanish, which is fine. He is Hispanic, which is fine. And we haven’t asked for recusal, which we may do… But we have a judge who is very hostile. Should’ve been thrown out. Wasn’t thrown out.”

Trump’s lawyers originally tried to postpone the trials until after his inauguration, but it was not allowed. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman released the following statement:

“Today’s $25 million settlement agreement is a stunning reversal by Donald Trump and a major victory for the over 6,000 victims of his fraudulent university… I am pleased that under the terms of this settlement, every victim will receive restitution and that Donald Trump will pay up to $1 million in penalties to the State of New York for violating state education laws. The victims of Trump University have waited years for today’s result and I am pleased that their patience–and persistence–will be rewarded by this $25 million settlement.”

Trump took to Twitter in order to speak about the legal settlement:

I wonder if Trump thinks he still has time to sue the women who accused him of sexual assault?

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit claimed that Trump University was a fraud, and some of them paid as much as $35,000 to learn tips and tricks to getting rich from Trump and a hand-picked team of instructors. Trump does not need to admit any wrongdoing as part of the settlement, just like when he settled discrimination lawsuits for refusing to rent to African-Americans.

Check out CNN’s Jake Tapper responding to the settlement announcement below:

Featured Image by Michael Vadon via Flickr/ CC License 2.0