Judge to consider timing of Trump University trial

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Judge to consider timing of Trump University trial

Elliot Spagat, Associated Press

Updated 3:22 am, Friday, May 6, 2016

SAN DIEGO (AP) — U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel has said he wanted a trial by the middle of this year in a federal class-action lawsuit against Donald Trump by students of Trump University who say they were defrauded. That was before the real estate mogul appeared headed for the Republican presidential nomination.

The judge is expected to address timing at a final pretrial conference Friday in San Diego. Trump's lawyers, who have put the candidate on a list of witnesses who they may testify, have signaled opposition to a trial while Trump is in the race.

"This will be a zoo if it were to go to trial," Trump lawyer Daniel Petrocelli said at a hearing in March.

The case is one of three lawsuits that accuse Trump University of fleecing students with unfilled promises to teach secrets of success in real estate at seminars that cost up to $35,000.


Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Judge-to-consider-timing-of-Trump-University-trial-7396981.php

[Democat]

1. Would be funny if the judge said no trial before election, while Republicans

Rush to attack Clinton in any possible way before the election.

Sounds fair.

[thelordofhell]

2. This is the main reason that Trump is running

He doesn't want to lose this case, and if he's elected President **shudder**, he'll shut this thing down.........

[houston16revival]

3. Meanwhile, "Trump Pinata" yields more than a dozen hits on eBay

This is a home-grown growth industry for sure

No, I don't sell them

[LiberalElite]

5. We can get one here after all?

I thought it was just that business in Mexico and they didn't ship international. Gotta look at eBay.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. If the trial were delayed, and say, Trump wins the election, and then

the trial unfolds, and Trump is deposed, and caught un-truthing, then

could Trump be subject to impeachment just like Bill Clinton for obstruction of justice (Paula Jones)?

[Thor_MN]

6. Impeachment is for crimes committed while in office.

So technically, even if he was convicted of education grifting, impeachment wouldn't be in play. (I'm no lawyer, just my $0.02)

I imagine that many of those who's hopes were dashed by the FBI saying their investigation into emails was done are now worried that Trump's case may go forward.

[jmowreader]

8. Can anyone say "Whitewater"?

Let us remember the words of our last reasonable Republican president, Gerald Ford: "You can impeach a ham sandwich for the crime of being a ham sandwich." The Constitution only says you can impeach for "high crimes and misdemeanors." It doesn't say when these "high crimes and misdemeanors" had to occur.

The Republicans, if they could have found damning enough evidence, would have gleefully impeached Bill Clinton for Whitewater, for Troopergate, for Mena, for damn near anything they could have laid hands on. The ONLY reason they impeached him for obstruction of justice in the Monica Lewinsky case was half the Contract On America class ran for office on the necessity of impeaching the president, and the only thing they could find that he actually did was to say he never had sex with Monica Lewinsky. (Which was actually true - in the District of Columbia, "sex" is one thing we're sure he DIDN'T do.)

[Thor_MN]

9. 'The Constitution only says you can impeach for "high crimes and misdemeanors." '

By your statement, you have not read the Constitution.

[jmowreader]

10. This is what the Constitution actually says

Article 2, Section 4, in its entirety:

The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

It does not say when the Treason, Bribery or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors had to have occurred.

[Thor_MN]

12. It doesn't say what you said either.

So now you have read it, quoted in accurately, and proved that I misspoke in saying that only crimes in office were in play.

Well done.

[no_hypocrisy]

14. Trump will testify after election in Trump University suit

This would be a similar situation with Clinton, where a sitting president lies under oath, and that by itself gives the Congress its opportunity to impeach.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/trump-will-testify-after-election-in-trump-university-suit-1.1568019

[Thor_MN]

15. You think Trump is going to be President?

Because your whole premise here hinges on that.

Trump's odds of winning any but the reddest of states are very slim.

[no_hypocrisy]

16. Sorry, not my intention. It is purely an academic proposition.

[Thor_MN]

17. Yes, in an alternate universe where Trump stands a chance of winning

He would have an opportunity to lie about his education grift and be impeached for the lie.

I wonder if TTIP allows lawyers to sue for the perceived profits from a $20 million investigation if America decides Trump is a clown and doesn't elect him?

[Gothmog]

7. The NY trial is coming in the fall

Trump may be in two separate trials on Trump U

[tclambert]

11. The Constitution does not rule out running for president while in prison.

It might make meeting with world leaders a little awkward. "President Prisoner Trump, you have a visitor. Vladimir Putin. Remember: No touching!"

[no_hypocrisy]

13. Eugene V. Debbs did.