Court Approves Trump University Settlement

Via CNN Money:  Trump University $25 million settlement approved

Thousands of former Trump University students will get most of their money back, with a judge on Friday approving a $25 million settlement.

“The settlement is fair, adequate, and reasonable,” Judge Gonzalo Curiel said in his decision.

 Nearly 4,000 former students submitted claims and those who are eligible could get back about 90% of their money.

The settlement was agreed to last November, just 10 days after Donald Trump won the presidential election, but still needed court approval.

The sad question is:  how many Trump supporters will see this an the vindictive actions of a Mexican-descended judge and not as a clear evidence of Trump’s unethical business practices?

Also, a pro tip, real universities don’t have “Gold Elite” status:

A “one-year apprenticeship” at Trump University cost $1,495, according to court documents, while a “membership” cost at least $10,000 and the “Gold Elite,” the seminar’s most expensive class, cost $35,000.

FILED UNDER: Education, Race and Politics, US Politics, ,
Steven L. Taylor
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter

Comments

  1. CSK says:

    I think we can say with considerable assurance that the Trumpkins will claim that a vindictive Mexican judge is outrageously and unfairly punishing Trump because the judge is, of course, a racist bigot.

  2. gVOR08 says:

    Can I get my money back from his presidency?

  3. Gustopher says:

    The Mexicans will pay for the settlement.

  4. Liberal Capitalist says:

    The last holdout of the lawsuit had a lawyer that made a good point:

    Under the Rico Act, the students would have received 3 dollars for every dollar spent by them on the fraudulent university.

    Settling for less than a 1 to 1 ratio on the settlement means that Trump pays back less than he took in, covers his lawyers and costs, and breaks even.

    Hardly a penalty.

    Additionally, Trump has a habit of saying that a settlement is not admitting fault or wrongdoing.

    In a statement, Trump Organization General Counsel Alan Garten said he thought Trump would have prevailed at trial but settled so Trump could “devote his full attention to the important issues facing our great nation” during his presidential transition.

    It’s clear:

    He is a living saint, and we are blessed to share the same earth as he.

  5. M. Bouffant says:

    So now Trump has been legally declared a crook, con man & grifter. There’s a surprise!

  6. Hal_10000 says:

    Hear a great quote today from Norm Ornstein: “Trump is running the government like a business, but the business is Trump University.”