Graham joins a number of Republicans who have denounced the statements, including Speaker of the House Paul Ryan who called the remark a “textbook definition of a racist comment”.
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“Claiming a person can’t do the job due to their race is sort of like the textbook definition of a racist comment”, Ryan said.
Ryan insisted that his support for Trump is rooted in his agenda project, arguing that there is a better chance that the business mogul would sign these policies into law than Clinton would if she were to become president.
Ryan said Trump offended Hispanics with his comments about Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who is overseeing a class-action civil suit filed by students of Trump’s now-defunct Trump University, which the students called a scam.
Republicans have criticized Trump’s claim that U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel has been biased while presiding over a case against Trump University because he is Latino.
Donald Trump on Tuesday released a statement on the ongoing controversy with Judge Curiel and the continuing legal battle with Trump University, attempting to close the book on the burgeoning controversy that has put the GOP into a tailspin.
Lindsey Graham withdrew his support and urged other Republicans to take back their endorsements. In almost a year of campaign-trail outrages, this is one of Trump’s most sinister offenses – straight-up prejudice masquerading as highfalutin ethics.
“In a field of 17 people, Donald won, and every part of me wishes it was me today, but it’s not”, Christie said.
Menendez, who endorsed fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton for president last month, likened Trump’s comments to the attacks by the late U.S. Sen.
Christie and his son, Andrew, are delegates for Trump, so their names are on the ballot with Trump’s.
Democratic Congressman Filemon Vela said in an open letter published Monday that Trump’s “ignorant anti-immigrant opinions”, border wall rhetoric and continued attacks on a sitting federal judge “are just plain despicable”. “We can’t get that right if we do not fix this problem”.
Graham, who was virulently against the prospect of the businessman becoming his party’s nominee, finally came around to endorsing Trump in late May. Within hours Trump was making his most blatantly racist comments of the campaign, and Ryan was being forced to distance himself once again.
But after calling out Trump’s comments, Ryan said his support of Trump’s presidential run remains the same.
When asked by John Dickerson on CBS News’ Face the Nation whether he would be implementing a Paul Ryan agenda as opposed to Ryan implementing a Donald Trump agenda, Trump emphasized the importance of a compromise.
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Curiel was born in Indiana. “My parents came to IN from Mexico 70 years ago with little more than a fourth-grade education and a belief that they could build a life for their family”. In 2006, then-California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, appointed Curiel to the Superior Court of San Diego.
