Proof the system is rigged!
Judge Curiel just did Trump a much, much bigger favor than if he’d given Trump a million bucks as a gift. If he had a particle of animus he’d have released that video.
But.
He didn’t dismiss the case entirely.
So here we go again.
“See, the Mexicans love me! I’ m gonna have judge Julio or Ernesto or whatever his name is over to Trump Towers for the yoooogest taco he’s ever seen!”
That was my first thought, but at this stage, Trump is doing such a spectacular job of sinking his own campaign, the release of the video probably couldn’t have made it any worse. It would be different if Trump had truly “pivoted,” and had become more Presidential in his public appearances. But no.
Agreed. Curiel is certainly aware of the consequences, even if he’s bound not to make his decisions based on them. As a practical matter I don’t think it makes much difference. Video or no video, Trump U. is one more devastating scandal among very, very many.
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.Even more so, he has now undeniably established his profound lack of credibility in the eyes of any future jurors. It’ll be impossible for his defense attorneys to convince any juror that he’s not a complete fraud.
Should be very short trials, with most of the time spent negotiating settlements.
Trump’s own words are biased against him.
Taco bowl. Its the yoooogest taco bowl.
Trump does not realize that this is a pseudo-Hispanic dish created for tourists to New York.
He would only say “taco” if he knew something about Hispanic culture beyond what is on the menu at his cafe.
At the end of the day, the judge did what a judge should do. He was fair and even handed. There’s not legal interest in publicly releasing those videos at this time. It would be likely prejudicial to a potential jury pool, and other than the potential political damage it might do Trump, there’s no upside to releasing it, that I can see.
I have to say, I don’t know that I would be so impartial if I were in Judge Curiel’s position. Props to him for shrugging of Trump’s attacks and ignoring this opportunity to hurt him back, in favor of just doing his job the way a judge should.
His actions speak volumes about his character and professionalism in a way that no words can.
He certainly went ahead and did his job with impartiality, under tremendous pressure, and he deserves credit for that. But I think the key thing is we shouldn’t find that professionalism remarkable. People like him are trained to put aside personal viewpoints and consider only the facts of the matter as the legal system regards them. Trump’s great failure as a politician and human being is not to understand that that’s possible. He can’t see how his personal view and the broader picture are two different things. He’s freakishly solipsistic; he can’t get outside his own head. But we must have a legal system founded on trust in its impartiality and professionalism. There will be many human failings as it operates, but we have to assume it’s a viable goal or we really won’t, as Donald so often says, “have a country any more.”