There are two things that strike me about President-Elect Trump's decision to settle the lawsuit against Trump University to the tune of $25 million.
First, Trump repeatedly stated throughout the campaign that he could have settled the case anytime he wanted but wouldn't so out of "principle". Well, I guess that "principle" died once he won the election. Under the circumstances, Trump didn't want the lawsuit hanging over his head like the Sword of Damocles. It would have been as much of an albatross around his neck as Hillary Clinton being under FBI investigation. True to form, Trump claimed he would have won the suit had he not a country to run.
Second, had Trump settled the lawsuit during the election he could have saved Judge Gonzalo Curiel a lot of agony. Instead, Trump made a point of questioning Curiel's integrity by impugning his Mexican heritage despite being born and raised in the state his running mate governed.
Trump's criticisms were a crock and he knew it. If Trump was really concerned about Curiel's integrity his legal team could have filed a motion for Curiel to recuse himself. They did not have a shred of evidence that Curiel had said or written anything which would have compromised Trump's right to a fair trial. Had Curiel publicly criticized Trump the way Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg did this summer then it would be a different story. But no matter. Trump's tactics against Curiel had the effect of giving racism legitimacy.
Trump could have saved Curiel a lot of agony. But had he done so Trump wouldn't be Trump now would he?
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