Jump to content

Trump University

This is a good article. Click here for more information.
Page semi-protected
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Deisenbe (talk | contribs) at 16:08, 19 January 2021 (added Category:Business career of Donald Trump using HotCat). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Trump University
Company typePrivately held
IndustryFor-profit education
Founded2004 (incorporated)
May 23, 2005; 19 years ago (2005-05-23) (launched)[1]
FounderDonald Trump
Defunct2010
Headquarters
New York City
,
U.S
Websitetrumpinitiative.com
(registration required)

Trump University (also known as the Trump Wealth Institute and Trump Entrepreneur Initiative LLC) was an American company that ran a real estate training program from 2005 until 2010. It was owned and operated by The Trump Organization. A separate organization, Trump Institute, was licensed by Trump University but not owned by The Trump Organization. In 2011, amid multiple investigations, lawsuits and student complaints, it ceased operations.[2] It was founded by Donald Trump and his associates, Michael Sexton and Jonathan Spitalny, in 2004. The company offered courses in real estate, asset management, entrepreneurship, and wealth creation.[3]

The organization was not an accredited university or college. It conducted three- and five-day seminars (often labeled "retreats") and used high-pressure tactics to sell these to its customers.[4] It did not confer college credit, grant degrees, or grade its students.[5] In 2011, the company became the subject of an inquiry by the New York Attorney General's office for illegal business practices which resulted in a lawsuit filed in August 2013.[6] An article in the National Review described the organization as a "massive scam".[7]

Trump University was also the subject of two class actions in federal court. The lawsuits centered around allegations that Trump University defrauded its students by using misleading marketing practices and engaging in aggressive sales tactics. The company and the lawsuits against it received renewed interest due to Trump's candidacy in the 2016 presidential election. Despite repeatedly insisting he would not settle, Trump settled all three lawsuits in November 2016 for a total of $25 million after being elected president.[8]

History

Michael Sexton created a business plan for a real estate training program and presented it to Donald Trump looking to pay Trump a flat fee for the use of his name. Trump instead decided he wanted to be the principal owner.[9]

Trump University was incorporated in 2004 by Trump, Sexton, and Spitalny, as a New York limited liability company.[10] Donald Trump owned 93% of the company.[11] On May 23, 2005, Trump University formally launched its education program.[1] At the opening presentation, Trump said: "If I had a choice of making lots of money or imparting lots of knowledge, I think I'd be as happy to impart knowledge as to make money."[12] According to the Washington Post, part of the school sales pitch was, "the billionaire had made enough money for himself. Now, he would put his famous brain to work for the little guy". High prices were charged for seminars and programs not to enrich Trump, but so that (as one teacher explained to students) “you assume personal responsibility for doing the work.”[13]

The company's original business plan focused on online education, but quickly expanded to include live, in-person instruction as well. The focus of the instruction was real estate investing, with Trump claiming in advertisements: "I can turn anyone into a successful real estate investor, including you."[14] Typically the instruction began with an introductory seminar in rented space such as a hotel ballroom. At the introductory seminar, students were urged to sign up for additional classes, ranging from $1,495 seminars to a $35,000 "Gold Elite" program.[14] Records produced indicate 7,611 tickets in total were sold to customers attending courses.[15] Approximately 6,000 of these tickets were for a $1,500 3-day course and 1,000 tickets were for silver, gold or elite mentored courses ranging in price from $10,000 to $35,000.[16][15] While not licensed as a college nor using student loans, the operation used many of the same tactics as predatory colleges: preying on the vulnerable populations, implying that the school offers a fast track to financial security, and creating the impression that the recruiter is a friendly advisor.[17]

Trump claimed that students gave 98% favorable reviews to the program,[18] but according to some former students, Trump University employees pressured students to offer favorable reviews, told them they had to fill out the forms in order to obtain graduation certificates, and did not undertake procedures often used to ensure that surveys were filled out objectively.[19]

In an infomercial, Trump said he "hand-picked" Trump University's instructors. He testified in a 2012 deposition, however, that he never selected the instructors for the program.[20] According to Michael Sexton, Trump signed off on the school's advertisements.[21] For a time in 2008, it used the name Trump Wealth Institute.[22] In June 2010, "Trump University" changed its name to "The Trump Entrepreneur Initiative".[23] It largely ceased operations in 2010.[12]

The Trump Institute was a separate business. It was licensed by Trump University, and Donald Trump received a cut of every seat sold,[24] but Trump University did not own any part of it.[25] It was owned and operated by Irene and Mike Milin of Boca Raton, Florida.[24] It offered real estate seminars from 2006 to 2009, at which point the licensing agreement expired and was not renewed.[25] Trump himself was not involved in the operation of the Trump Institute, but he recorded a broadcast infomercial promoting it and appeared in an introductory video before each seminar.[26][24]

Allegations of impropriety and lawsuits

External videos
video icon Is Trump University a fraud?, 5:28, CNN, September 29, 2015
video icon Trump faces lawsuits from former Trump University students, 5:47, CBS This Morning, September 24, 2015
video icon Prosecutor: Trump lawsuit no stunt, 3:55, CNN, August 26, 2013
video icon Trump, Rubio spar over lawsuit against Trump University, 4:53, Fox News Channel, March 3, 2016

Three lawsuits were filed asserting that Trump University engaged in a variety of illegal business practices, ranging from false claims to racketeering. Two were federal class actions: one against Trump University and its managers, including Donald Trump, and one against Donald Trump personally. A third case was filed in New York State court.[27]

New York v. Trump Entrepreneur Initiative LLC

In 2005, the New York State Department of Education sent Trump, Sexton, and Trump University a letter saying that they were violating state law by using the word "university" when in fact Trump University was not actually chartered as one and did not have the required license to offer live instruction or training.[10] Although Sexton promised the organization would stop instructing students in New York State, the New York Attorney General alleged that such instruction continued.[10]

A March 2010 letter sent to Trump by the Deputy Commissioner for Higher Education, Joseph Frey, stated: "Use of the word 'university' by your corporation is misleading and violates New York Education Law and the Rules of the Board of Regents."[10][28] In June 2010, "Trump University" changed its name to "The Trump Entrepreneur Initiative".[23]

On August 24, 2013, the State of New York filed a $40 million civil suit against Trump University alleging illegal business practices and false claims made by the company.[29][30] According to a press release from New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman titled A.G. Schneiderman Sues Donald Trump, Trump University & Michael Sexton For Defrauding Consumers Out Of $40 Million With Sham 'University', the case was to be handled by Assistant Attorneys General Tristan C. Snell and Melvin L. Goldberg, under the supervision of the Bureau of Consumer Frauds and Protection’s Deputy Bureau Chief Laura J. Levine, Bureau Chief Jane M. Azia, and Executive Deputy Attorney General for Economic Justice Karla G. Sanchez.[31] Schneiderman described Trump University as a bait-and-switch scheme.[32] He accused Trump of misleading more than 5,000 people to pay up to $35,000 to learn his real estate investment techniques.[33]

Trump denied the allegations, claiming the school had a 98% approval rating, and said Schneiderman was "a political hack looking to get publicity".[34] Trump filed a complaint alleging that the state Attorney General's investigation was accompanied by a campaign donation shakedown; the complaint was investigated by a New York ethics board and dismissed in August 2015.[35] Because of strict confidentiality laws, it is unknown whether the complaint was dismissed because Trump's claims were untrue, or because Schneiderman's alleged actions did not contravene any ethical rules.[36]

In October 2014, a New York judge found Trump personally liable for operating the company without the required business license.[33]

Texas investigation

In May 2010 the consumer protection division of the state of Texas sought permission from the office of the Attorney General of Texas to file a law suit against Trump University. An investigation by the consumer protection division had found the company was “engaging in false, misleading and deceptive practices” and had defrauded Texas taxpayers out of $2.6 million. According to John Owens, the Texas attorney general’s deputy chief of consumer protection at the time, an estimated 267 Texans spent more than $425,000 on the three-day seminars, and 39 purchased Trump's “Gold Elite” package of additional classes and other perks costing $35,000 each. Another 150 "university" customers from Texas spent more than $826,000 on other goods and services.[13][37] According to the investigation,

The 'free workshops' are merely a selling ground for the Defendant Trump U's 3-day seminars and offer little useable content. The training materials we have reviewed indicate that Trump University 3-day seminar attendees are taught to prey upon homeowners in financial turmoil and to target foreclosure properties. ... Defendants falsely assert at these 'free workshops' that classes are approved continuing education credit for Realtors, but Trump University courses were not approved by the Texas Real Estate Commission, nor was Trump University an accredited institution with the legal credentials to call itself a "university.""[37]

The lawsuit proposed by the consumer protection division sought to recover more than $2.6 million for Texas taxpayers who had been students at the "university" had "spent on seminars and materials, plus another $2.8 million in penalties and fees".[37]

The investigation was dropped and no lawsuit was filed, but Trump University agreed to cease operations in Texas.[37] (The attorney general Greg Abbott went on to become governor,[37] and the deputy chief of consumer protection Owens later alleged that Abbots decision "not to sue [Trump] was political” -- Trump later donated $35,000 to Abbott's campaign for governor.[37] Abbott's communications director called the charge "absurd", and Trump University "disputed that its classes were deceptive".)[37]

Lawsuits in federal court

Low v. Trump University, LLC

Tarla Makaeff, who paid nearly $60,000 to Trump University in 2008, brought a class action against Trump University on April 30, 2010, in the U.S. District Court for Southern California.[38][39] The suit, Makaeff v. Trump University, LLC, sought refunds for Makaeff and other former clients of Trump University, as well as punitive damages for breach of contract, fraud, negligent misrepresentation and bad faith. It did not originally name Donald Trump as a defendant,[40] but did so in a later amended complaint.[41] In February 2014, U.S. district court judge Gonzalo P. Curiel denied recognition to the nationwide class the plaintiffs had requested and recognized the suit as class-action on the part of Trump University clients in three states—California, Florida, and New York—based on specific alleged violations of the consumer protection laws of those states. He also narrowed the case to five of the plaintiffs' original fourteen charges.[42]

On May 26, 2010, Trump University filed a counterclaim alleging Makaeff had made defamatory statements about Trump University, "including many completely spurious accusations of actual crimes", which caused Trump University losses of more than $1 million. On June 30, 2010, Makaeff countered that Trump University's defamation claim was an attempt to intimidate her, known as a SLAPP suit (a strategic lawsuit against public participation), and that because Trump University is a "public figure" the defamation claim required proof that she "acted with actual malice" when speaking and writing about Trump University. By invoking California's anti-SLAPP statute, Makaeff triggered procedures that hastened consideration of the defamation claim without further discovery.[43]

On August 23, 2010, U.S. district judge Irma E. Gonzalez ruled that Trump University was not a public figure, did not need to show malice on Makaeff's part, and could proceed with its defamation claim. Makaeff appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, where a three-judge panel ruled unanimously on April 17, 2013, that Trump University is a "limited-purpose public figure" and that Trump University must demonstrate malice on Makaeff's part to establish defamation; it returned the case to the district court to consider the defamation claim against that standard.[44][a] After additional briefing, U.S. district judge Gonzalo P. Curiel ruled in Makaeff's favor on June 16, 2014, and dismissed the defamation claim.[46] Makaeff then, at the court's invitation, presented evidence of her legal costs and fees in connection with the defamation litigation. She asked for $1.3 million, and on April 20, 2015, Curiel ordered Trump University to reimburse Makaeff $798,000 in legal fees and costs.[47]

In November 2015, the district court ruled on Trump's motion for summary judgment. In a 44-page opinion, the court denied Trump's motion for summary judgment on most of the claims, finding that there was a genuine issue of fact on plaintiffs' claims of deceptive practices and misrepresentation in advertisements in violation of California, Florida, and New York consumer protection and business law and therefore letting these claims proceed to trial. The court did grant summary judgment in Trump's favor on plaintiffs' request for an injunction, because Trump University stopped enrolling students in July 2010 and no longer sold the same seminars or other programs.[48]

On March 21, 2016, over objections from the attorneys for Trump University, Curiel allowed Makaeff to withdraw as the lead plaintiff,[b] naming Sonny Low[c] in her stead, resulting in the case title Low v. Trump University, LLC.[50]

Cohen v. Trump

On October 18, 2013, California businessman Art Cohen filed a civil suit, Art Cohen v. Donald J. Trump, in the U.S. District Court for Southern California, as a class action on behalf of consumers throughout the United States who purchased services known as "Live Events" from Trump University after January 1, 2007. It alleged violations of the RICO statute, essentially a scheme to defraud. It accused Trump of misrepresenting Trump University "to make tens of millions of dollars" while actually delivering "neither Donald Trump nor a university".[51] The suit named Donald Trump as the sole defendant and sought restitution as well as damages, including punitive and treble damages.[52]

In an order dated October 24, 2014, U.S. district judge Gonzalo P. Curiel certified the class proposed by the plaintiff and ruled that Cohen had presented enough evidence to allow the case to proceed.[53][51] Alan Garten, general counsel for the Trump Organization, said Trump University would appeal Curiel's ruling, which he said showed a "manifest disregard for the law". In October 2015, Garten also said Trump would ask Curiel to recuse himself because of his "animosity toward Mr. Trump and his views".[54] However, Trump's lawyers never filed any motion to recuse, and according to legal experts such a motion would lack legal merit and possibly be considered frivolous.[55][56]

In May 2016, Curiel set the trial on the suit to begin November 28, 2016, after the U.S. presidential election, with jury selection several weeks earlier.[57]

In August 2016, the district court denied Trump's motion for summary judgment, ruling that there was sufficient evidence against Trump for the case to go to a jury.[58][59]

On November 10, 2016, Curiel denied a request by Trump to delay the trial until after his inauguration.[60] At the same time, Curiel urged the parties to work toward a settlement, and both sides accepted an offer from U.S. district judge Jeffrey T. Miller to facilitate such talks.[61]

Public release of court documents

On May 27, 2016, Curiel granted a request by The Washington Post for public release of certain documents that had been filed in the case. He noted that they were "routine" and many were already publicly available.[62][63] The released information included "playbooks" documenting instructions for employees to use a hard-sell approach, as well as depositions in which former employees said that Trump University had defrauded or lied to its students.[11][63][64][65]

On August 2, 2016, the court denied a request by The Washington Post and other media organizations for the public release of hours of videotaped testimony from Trump's two depositions in Cohen, taken in November 2015 and January 2016.[58] Transcripts of those depositions had already been released, showing "that Trump repeatedly indicated that he had never met instructors at Trump University, despite advertisements for the program indicating that its staff had been hand-picked by the real estate mogul." Trump's attorneys had opposed the requests to release the videotapes.[58] Curiel ruled that there was a legitimate public interest in the content of the deposition, but that interest was satisfied via public release of the transcripts. The judge also noted that if the videos were publicly released, it was "nigh-inevitable" that the footage would be used in news accounts and political ads, which might prejudice the jury pool pre-trial.[58]

Trump's comments about Curiel

During primary campaign speeches, Trump repeatedly called the judge a "hater" and described him as "Spanish" or "Mexican"[66] (Curiel was born in Indiana to parents who had immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico).[67] Trump also said Curiel should recuse himself, although his attorneys said they did not plan to ask for the judge to be removed from the case.[68][69][70] Curiel's only comment was to write in a procedural ruling that Trump has "placed the integrity of these court proceedings at issue".[63][71] Trump's references to Curiel's ethnicity, as well as his comments that "someone ought to look into" the judge, alarmed legal experts, who expressed concern about the effects of the comments on judicial independence.[72][73]

On June 7, 2016, Trump issued a lengthy statement saying his criticism of the judge had been "misconstrued" and that his concerns about Curiel's impartiality were not based upon ethnicity alone, but also upon rulings in the case.[74][75]

Settlement

On November 18, 2016, it was reported that Trump had agreed to pay $25 million to settle the two class actions and the New York suit. The settlement was reached ten days before the San Diego class action was scheduled to go to trial. $21 million will go to the participants in the class actions, $3 million will go to New Yorkers not covered by the class actions, and a penalty of up to $1 million will be assessed by the state of New York for running an unlicensed university.[76] The plaintiff's attorneys agreed to forgo their fees and work pro bono as to maximize the amount that will go to the approximately 7,000 former Trump University students who are part of the case.[77] The settlement also specifies that Trump, who had previously vowed he would never settle, does not admit to any wrongdoing.[78] The settlement was brokered by U.S. district judge Jeffrey T. Miller, who offered his services to the parties on November 10 at Curiel's request.[79] Curiel approved the settlement on March 31, 2017.[80]

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said the settlement and payment by Trump, "is a stunning reversal by Donald Trump and a major victory for the over 6,000 victims of his fraudulent university."[81] Trump himself said he settled "for a small fraction of the potential award" because he was too busy as president-elect to take it to trial. He added: "The ONLY bad thing about winning the Presidency is that I did not have the time to go through a long but winning trial on Trump U. Too bad!"[82]

Final payment of the settlement was put on hold, because one member of the class opted out of the settlement to pursue an individual claim.[83] A district court and an appeals court rejected that individual's claim, and Curiel finalized the settlement in April 2018. Former students can now get a refund of up to 90% of the money they spent on courses.[84]

The settlement was paid, not by Trump, but by his Las Vegas hotel business partner, billionaire Phil Ruffin. In February 2019, during a meeting of the US House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Congresswoman Jackie Speier suggested "a Kansan", later revealed to be Ruffin, had paid $25 million to satisfy Trump's liability in the Trump University judgement. Ruffin admitted to paying Trump $28 million in 2018, but claimed it was for "back-fees" related to Trump International Hotel Las Vegas and unrelated to the Trump University case.[85]

Other investigations

In 2010, the office of Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott investigated Trump University. No suit was brought, but after exchanging communications with investigators that included requests from the investigators for customer lists and internal documents, Trump University closed its operations in the state. These had included newspaper advertising, free presentations, and three-day seminars.[86] Six years later, during the 2016 presidential election, the Associated Press found that during Abbott's successful run for state governor in the 2014 Texas gubernatorial election, Trump had donated $35,000 to his campaign.[87] Texas Monthly questioned whether Abbott had treated Trump with especial favor.[88] Ken Paxton, who succeeded Abbott as Texas Attorney General, sent a cease and desist letter to the former Deputy Chief of Consumer Protection, John Owens, who said he had been told to drop the case and had forwarded previously undisclosed documents to the Associated Press. Paxton said in a statement that Owens had released "confidential and privileged information".[89] David S. Morales, the Deputy Attorney General in 2010, admitted in 2016 that he had quashed the 5.4 million dollar suit without discussing the issue with Abbott.[90] In 2018, Trump nominated Morales to serve as a judge at the District Court for the Southern District of Texas.[91]

The office of Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi announced in September 2013 that it was considering joining a New York lawsuit against Trump University.[92][93] Four days later, the Donald J. Trump Foundation donated $25,000 to "And Justice for All", a 527 group supporting Bondi's re-election campaign. Following this, Bondi declined to join New York. According to a Bondi spokesman, Bondi had personally solicited the donation from Trump several weeks before her office announced it was considering joining the lawsuit.[93][94][95] In March 2016, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a complaint with the IRS about the potentially illegal donation.[96][97] In September 2016, it was reported that the donation violated laws against political contributions from nonprofit organizations, and that Donald Trump had reimbursed the foundation from his own money and paid the IRS a $2,500 excise tax as a penalty.[98] Trump denied the donation was connected to the Trump University lawsuit, saying it was for Bondi's performance as Attorney General.[99] The White House announced in November 2019 that Bondi would be joining its staff temporarily for handling communications about the ongoing impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump, prompting objection from ethics watchdogs.[100][101][102][103]

Issue in the 2016 presidential election campaign

Satirical "personal diploma" from Trump University on Senator Ted Cruz's campaign website during the 2016 Republican primaries[104]
See also: Donald Trump presidential campaign, 2016 § Trump University

During the Republican presidential primaries of 2016, opponents of Trump's candidacy used Trump University to criticize him. Mitt Romney said in early March: "Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University."[105][106] Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio raised the subject during televised debates in February and March.[107][108] One debate moderator, Megyn Kelly of Fox News, pursued the issue at length.[108][109] Trump responded that Trump University was "a small business" and student evaluations were overwhelmingly positive. He said lawsuits were a routine part of business and that he wins most of them. Of one of the class actions he said: "It's something I could have settled many times. I could settle it right now for very little money, but I don't want to do it out of principle."[107] Hillary Clinton used the Trump University allegations against Trump in speeches and campaign ads.[110]

Trump University was the subject of a week-long series in the comic strip Doonesbury in June 2005.[111][112]

Trump University was also the butt of jokes in a Will and Grace mini-episode released in September 2016, created to get out the vote for the 2016 presidential election.[113] In it, Karen says she sent her Latina maid, Rosario, to Trump University for a course on "dusting".[114][115]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ The Ninth Circuit noted: "As the recent Ponzi-scheme scandals involving onetime financial luminaries like Bernard Madoff and Allen Stanford demonstrate, victims of con artists often sing the praises of their victimizers until the moment they realize they have been fleeced."[45]
  2. ^ Makaeff sought to withdraw for financial and health reasons and her attorneys cited the emotional effect of public exposure: "She's now been derided and called out by name on the campaign trail, on Twitter and on the GOP stage." Attorneys for Trump University objected that Makaeff's deposition was central to their defense: "She is the centerpiece to this litigation."[49]
  3. ^ According to a document filed in the case, as of September 26, 2012, Sonny Low was a "71-year old senior citizen ... [who] retired in 2005 as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer who served our country for 34 years".[41]

References

  1. ^ a b Hindo, Brian (May 23, 2005). "Trump University: You're Wired!". Bloomberg Markets. Archived from the original on March 14, 2016. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
  2. ^ "Spin, deride, attack: How Trump's handling of Trump University presaged his presidency". The Washington Post. 2020.
  3. ^ Lawler, David (March 1, 2016). "Trump University suit revived after ruling by New York court". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on September 11, 2018.
  4. ^ "Case document—Exhibit A2—Trump university Sales Playbook" (PDF). Trump University. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 11, 2016. Retrieved January 23, 2019 – via AmericanBridgePAC.org.
  5. ^ Levine, Greg (May 23, 2005). "Trump University Founded For Student 'Customers'". Forbes. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
  6. ^ Perlberg, Steven (August 26, 2013). "New York Attorney General Sues Donald Trump And His Alleged 'Sham' 'University' -- Says Students 'Defrauded' Out Of $US 40 Million". Business Insider Australia. Archived from the original on August 23, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  7. ^ Ian Tuttle, "Yes, Trump University Was a Massive Scam", National Review, 26 February 2016
  8. ^ Carroll, Rory (November 12, 2018). "Donald Trump settles fraud lawsuits relating to Trump University for $25m". The Guardian. Archived from the original on May 31, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  9. ^ Horwitz, Jeff; Biesecker, Michael (June 2, 2016). "Trump University model: Sell hard, demand to see a warrant". Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 2, 2019. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  10. ^ a b c d Halperin, David (March 1, 2016). "NY Court Refuses to Dismiss Trump University Case, Describes Fraud Allegations". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019.
  11. ^ a b Barbaro, Michael; Eder, Steve (May 31, 2016). "Former Trump University Workers Call the School a 'Lie' and a 'Scheme' in Testimony". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  12. ^ a b Hamburger, Tom; Helderman, Roslind S.; Bennett, Dalton (June 4, 2016). "Donald Trump said 'university' was all about education. Actually, its goal was: 'Sell, sell, sell!'". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 4, 2016. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  13. ^ a b Fahrenthold, David A.; Partlow, Joshua; O'Connell, Jonathan (July 25, 2020). "Spin, deride, attack: How Trump's handling of Trump University presaged his presidency". Washington Post. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  14. ^ a b Cohan, William D. (December 3, 2013). "Big Hair on Campus: Did Donald Trump Defraud Thousands of Real Estate Students?". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on April 23, 2016. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  15. ^ a b Brill, Steven (November 5, 2015). "What the Legal Battle Over Trump University Reveals About Its Founder". Time. Archived from the original on May 9, 2018. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  16. ^ Barbaro, Michael (May 19, 2011). "New York Attorney General Is Investigating Trump's For-Profit School". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 27, 2016. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  17. ^ Shireman, Robert (2018). "Selling the American Dream: What the Trump University Scam Teaches Us about Predatory Colleges". Social Research: An International Quarterly. 85 (4): 767–794. ISSN 1944-768X.
  18. ^ "Home page". 98percentapproval.com. Donald Trump. Archived from the original on September 14, 2013. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
  19. ^ Barbaro, Michael; Edermarch, Steve (March 11, 2016). "At Trump University, Students Recall Pressure to Give Positive Reviews". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 12, 2016. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  20. ^ Karen Freifeld (February 1, 2016). "Trump University swindled me, says Iowa retiree". American Media Institute. Archived from the original on February 4, 2016. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
  21. ^ Hamburger, Tom; Helderman, Rosalind S. (May 31, 2016). "Trump involved in crafting controversial Trump University ads, executive testified". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  22. ^ Gitell, Seth (March 8, 2016). "I Survived Trump University". Politico Magazine. Archived from the original on August 12, 2017. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  23. ^ a b Finnegan, Leah (April 19, 2010). "Trump University: No Longer a University?". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on August 10, 2011.
  24. ^ a b c Leary, Alex (June 30, 2016). "In Trump Institute, Donald Trump had Florida partners with a record of fraud". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on February 15, 2017. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  25. ^ a b Mullin, Joe; Kaminsky, Jonathan (April 29, 2016). "Trump University and the art of the get-rich seminar". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on May 28, 2016. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
  26. ^ Martin, Jonathan (June 29, 2016). "Trump Institute Offered Get-Rich Schemes With Plagiarized Lessons". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 29, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  27. ^ Lee, Michelle Ye Hee (February 27, 2016). "Donald Trump's misleading claim that he's 'won most of' lawsuits over Trump University". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  28. ^ Feiden, Douglas (April 15, 2010). "State educrats give failing grade to Donald Trump's 'misleading' Trump University". Daily News. Archived from the original on April 22, 2017.
  29. ^ Feuer, Alan (August 24, 2013). "Trump University Made False Claims, Lawsuit Says". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 1, 2014. Retrieved August 24, 2013.
  30. ^ "The People of the State of New York v. The Trump Entrepreneuer Initiative LLC" (PDF). Supreme Court of the State of New York. August 24, 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 19, 2017. Retrieved July 13, 2016 – via The Wall Street Journal.
  31. ^ Schneiderman, Eric (August 13, 2013). "A.G. Schneiderman Sues Donald Trump, Trump University & Michael Sexton For Defrauding Consumers Out Of $40 Million With Sham "University"". New York Attorney General. Archived from the original on July 2, 2017.
  32. ^ "Prosecutor: Trump lawsuit no stunt". CNN. August 26, 2013. Archived from the original on April 8, 2019. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  33. ^ a b Freifeld, Karen (October 16, 2014). Grenon, Andre (ed.). "New York judge finds Donald Trump liable for unlicensed school". Reuters. Archived from the original on June 27, 2018. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  34. ^ Gormley, Michael (August 26, 2013). "Donald Trump defends his university, launches Twitter war against 'dopey, stupid' AG behind $40M suit". National Post. Associated Press. Archived from the original on November 2, 2019. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  35. ^ Virtanen, Michael (August 31, 2015). "NY ethics board drops Trump's complaint about attorney general during university investigation". U.S. News & World Report. Associated Press. Archived from the original on August 21, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2015.
  36. ^ "Ethics copout: JCOPE probe of Donald Trump's complaint against Attorney General Eric Schneiderman leaves too many unanswered questions". Daily News (Editorial). September 3, 2015. Archived from the original on October 6, 2015. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
  37. ^ a b c d e f g McGaughy, Lauren (June 2, 2016). "Greg Abbott's top consumer attorneys built a $5.4M case against Donald Trump, but it never happened". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  38. ^ Hernandez, Sergio (May 4, 2010). "Donald Trump's Scam School Gets Sued". Gawker. Archived from the original on February 26, 2016. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  39. ^ Hernandez, Sergio (May 4, 2010). "Tarla Makaeff v. Trump University". Gawker. Archived from the original on July 10, 2010. Retrieved June 2, 2016. Includes the text of the filing.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  40. ^ Dinzeo, Maria (May 4, 2010). "Class Claims It Was Rolled by Trump U". Courthouse News Service. Archived from the original on November 10, 2017. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  41. ^ a b "Makaeff v. Trump University Complaint" (PDF). Trump University Litigation. September 26, 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 20, 2018. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  42. ^ Bauder, Don (March 1, 2014). "The Donald trumped in federal court here". San Diego Reader. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  43. ^ "Code of Civil Procedure—Section 425.16 California's Anti-SLAPP Law (parts f and g)". California Anti-SLAPP Project. April 12, 2011. Archived from the original on May 28, 2018.
  44. ^ Hull, Tim (April 17, 2013). "Trump University Trips With Defamation Claim". Courthouse News Service. Archived from the original on November 2, 2019. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  45. ^ McCoy, Kevin (August 26, 2013). "Trump faces two-front legal fight over 'university'". USA Today. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
  46. ^ "Makaeff v. Trump University, LLC". U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California. June 17, 2014. Archived from the original on March 28, 2018 – via California Anti-SLAPP Project. Section: II. Procedural History
  47. ^ Kearn, Rebekah (April 20, 2015). "$798,000 Award Against Trump University". Courthouse News Service. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  48. ^ Lee, Michelle Ye Hee (June 7, 2016). "Sorry, Donald Trump, the Trump University judge was just following the law". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 23, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  49. ^ Bruno, Bianca (March 11, 2016). "Trump U. Plaintiff Wants Out of Media Circus". Courthouse News Service. Archived from the original on April 21, 2016. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  50. ^ "Judge grants woman's request to quit Trump University suit". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. March 22, 2016. Archived from the original on November 2, 2019. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  51. ^ a b Warmerdam, Elizabeth (October 29, 2014). "Trump Must Answer Students in Fed Court". Courthouse News Service. Archived from the original on November 2, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  52. ^ "Cohen v. Trump, Complaint". United States District Court for the Southern District of California. October 18, 2013. Archived from the original on June 25, 2016. Retrieved June 7, 2016 – via Scribd.
  53. ^ Fuchs, Erin (October 29, 2014). "Judge Hands Down Potentially Crushing Ruling Against Donald Trump In Racketeering Lawsuit". Business Insider. Archived from the original on June 12, 2016. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  54. ^ Berr, Jonathan (October 31, 2014). "Lawsuit accuses Donald Trump of deceiving students". CBS MoneyWatch. Archived from the original on November 7, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  55. ^ Frankel, Alison (June 6, 2016). "Why Trump lawyers won't ask Trump University judge to step aside". Reuters. Archived from the original on June 3, 2017.
  56. ^ Lubet, Steven; Geyh, Charles Gardner (June 6, 2016). "Why Isn't Trump Using the Law to Back Up His Mouth?". The New Republic. Archived from the original on June 9, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  57. ^ Gerstein, Josh (May 6, 2016). "Judge delays Trump University trial". Politico. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  58. ^ a b c d Helderman, Rosalind S. (August 2, 2016). "Judge rejects media request to release video testimony in Trump University case". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 2, 2019. Retrieved August 3, 2016.
  59. ^ Bruno, Bianca (August 2, 2016). "Judge Denies Media's Bid for Donald Trump's Video Depositions". Courthouse News Service. Archived from the original on October 13, 2016.
  60. ^ Popescu, Roxana; Helderman, Rosalind S. (November 10, 2016). "Trump's lawyers seek to delay fraud case—until after he is sworn into office". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 11, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  61. ^ "Settlement Urged In Trump University Fraud Trial". CBS 2 News. Associated Press. November 11, 2016. Archived from the original on May 19, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  62. ^ "Cohen v. Trump, Order Granting Motion of Non-Party Press Organization for Limited Purpose Intervention and Order Unsealing Court Records". United States District Court for the Southern District of California. May 27, 2016. Archived from the original on June 25, 2016. Retrieved June 7, 2016 – via Scribd.
  63. ^ a b c Hamburger, Tom (May 28, 2016). "Judge bashed by Trump orders release of company records". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 2, 2019. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
  64. ^ Montenaro, Domenico (June 1, 2016). "Hard Sell: The Potential Political Consequences of the Trump University Documents". NPR. Archived from the original on June 1, 2016. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  65. ^ "Judge Orders Documents Unsealed in Trump University Lawsuit". The New York Times. Reuters. May 30, 2016. Archived from the original on November 2, 2019. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  66. ^ King, Robert (February 27, 2016). "Trump blames legal woes on 'Spanish' judge". Washington Examiner. Archived from the original on July 20, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2016.
  67. ^ Weiner, Tim (April 26, 2002). "New Web of Trust Topples a Mighty Mexican Cartel". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 27, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  68. ^ "Trial date set in Trump University lawsuit". CBS News. Associated Press. May 6, 2016. Archived from the original on May 8, 2016. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
  69. ^ East, Kristen (May 28, 2016). "Trump attacks 'Mexican' judge in Trump U lawsuit". Politico. Archived from the original on February 22, 2017. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
  70. ^ Finnegan, Michael (May 27, 2016). "Trumps trashes judge overseeing Trump University case, says it's fine that he's Mexican". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
  71. ^ Epstein, Reid J. (May 27, 2016). "Trump Attacks Federal Judge in Trump U Case". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on June 10, 2016. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
  72. ^ DelReal, Jose A.; Zezima, Katie (June 1, 2016). "Trump's personal, racially tinged attacks on federal judge alarm legal experts". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 2, 2016. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  73. ^ Kendall, Brent (June 2, 2016). "Donald Trump Keeps Up Attacks on Judge in Trump University Case". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on June 10, 2016. Retrieved June 3, 2016. In an interview, Mr. Trump said U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel had 'an absolute conflict' in presiding over the litigation given that he was 'of Mexican heritage' and a member of a Latino lawyers' association.
  74. ^ Jackson, David (June 7, 2016). "Trump says judge comments 'misconstrued' amid GOP uprising". USA Today. Archived from the original on February 7, 2017. Retrieved June 8, 2016. I do not intend to comment on this matter any further.
  75. ^ Trump, Donald J. (June 7, 2016). "Donald Trump's Statement on Trump University". Archived from the original on November 9, 2016. Retrieved February 20, 2017 – via The New York Times. This contains the full text of the Trump statement.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  76. ^ Lovett, Kenneth (November 18, 2016). "Donald Trump Agrees to Pay $25 Million in Trump University Settlement". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on January 28, 2017. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  77. ^ Davis, Kristina (November 18, 2016). "Donald Trump agrees to $25-million settlement in lawsuits against Trump University". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 27, 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  78. ^ Eder, Steve (November 18, 2016). "Donald Trump Agrees to Pay $25 Million in Trump University Settlement". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 18, 2016. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  79. ^ Moran, Greg (November 18, 2016). "Jeffrey Miller: The San Diego judge who nailed down the Trump University deal". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on May 23, 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  80. ^ Griffin, Drew; Devine, Curt (March 31, 2017). "Trump University settlement approved". CNN Money. Archived from the original on February 21, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
  81. ^ Kendall, Brent; Randazzo, Sara (November 19, 2016). "Trump University Fraud Cases Settled for $25 Million". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on November 19, 2016. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
  82. ^ Stanglin, Doug (November 19, 2016). "Trump tweets he settled $25M fraud case because he's too busy". USA Today. Archived from the original on December 26, 2016. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
  83. ^ Newman, Deirdre (November 6, 2017). "Law Firm in Trump U. Case Buys Practice". San Diego Business Journal. Archived from the original on April 20, 2019. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  84. ^ Criss, Doug (April 10, 2018). "A judge has finalized a $25 million settlement for students who claim they were defrauded by Trump University". CNN. Archived from the original on February 10, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  85. ^ "Billionaire Phil Ruffin says he's the Kansan mentioned at Michael Cohen hearing". kansascity. Archived from the original on July 19, 2019. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  86. ^ Svitek, Patrick (June 2, 2016). "In Texas, Trump U Shut Down After State Scrutiny". The Texas Tribune. Archived from the original on February 15, 2017. Retrieved June 6, 2016. "The Texas Attorney General's office investigated Trump U, and its demands were met—Trump U was forced out of Texas and consumers were protected," responded Abbott spokesman Matt Hirsch.
  87. ^ Siegel, Robert; Biesecker, Michael (June 8, 2016). "Texas Governor Linked To Trump University Fraud Case". All Things Considered. NPR. Archived from the original on April 8, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  88. ^ Grieder, Erica (June 3, 2016). "Greg Abbott's Trump Problem". Texas Monthly. Archived from the original on February 18, 2017. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  89. ^ "Former Texas official says he was told to drop Trump University probe". CBS News. Associated Press. June 6, 2016. Archived from the original on November 17, 2017. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  90. ^ Blanchard, Bobby (June 3, 2016). "Former Greg Abbott staffer says he made the call on Trump U suit, didn't consult boss". The Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on November 3, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  91. ^ Gsalter, Morgan (April 11, 2018). "Trump nominates to federal court a former official who refused to sue Trump University". The Hill. Archived from the original on September 21, 2018. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  92. ^ Maxwell, Scott (April 2, 2016). "Trump's $25K to A.G. Bondi merits probe". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  93. ^ a b Sickler, Michael Van (October 17, 2013). "Trump contribution to Pam Bondi's re-election draws more scrutiny to her fundraising". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on June 25, 2018. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  94. ^ Horwitz, Jeff; Fineout, Gary; Biesecker, Michael (June 6, 2016). "Florida AG asked Trump for donation before nixing fraud case". Associated Press. Archived from the original on September 15, 2017. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  95. ^ Hollyfield, Amy (June 5, 2016). "Orlando Sentinel raises more questions about Pam Bondi's Trump money". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  96. ^ "CREW files complaint against Trump Foundation" (Press release). Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. March 21, 2016. Archived from the original on March 29, 2018. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  97. ^ "Florida AG Personally Asked For Donation Before Declining Lawsuit Against Trump University". Brevard Times. June 7, 2016. Archived from the original on February 14, 2017. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  98. ^ Fahrenthold, David A. (September 1, 2016). "Trump pays IRS a penalty for his foundation violating rules with gift to aid Florida attorney general". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 3, 2016. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  99. ^ Lima, Cristiano (September 5, 2016). "Trump rejects impropriety in Trump U. donation controversy". Politico. Archived from the original on February 15, 2017. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  100. ^ Ianelli, Jerry (November 6, 2019). "Ex-Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to Reportedly Join Trump White House". Miami New Times. Archived from the original on November 17, 2019. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
  101. ^ Wilkie, Christina (November 6, 2019). "White House will hire two high-profile aides to run impeachment messaging". CNBC. Archived from the original on November 15, 2019. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
  102. ^ Bender, Michael C. (November 6, 2019). "White House Expected to Bolster Impeachment Strategy With Two New Hires". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on November 14, 2019. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
  103. ^ Schultz, Randy (November 12, 2019). "Pam Bondi did President Trump a favor in Florida. He wants another". South Florida Sun Sentinel (Opinion). Archived from the original on November 13, 2019. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
  104. ^ Ellefson, Lindsey (March 3, 2016). "Ted Cruz Will Give You Your Very Own 'Trump University Certificate of Deception'". Mediaite. Archived from the original on April 7, 2017. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
  105. ^ "Transcript of Mitt Romney's Speech on Donald Trump". The New York Times. March 3, 2016. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  106. ^ Kessler, Glenn (February 29, 2016). "A trio of truthful attack ads about Trump University". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on April 15, 2016. Retrieved June 3, 2016.
  107. ^ a b "Transcript of the Republican Presidential Debate in Houston". The New York Times. February 25, 2016. Archived from the original on February 28, 2016. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
  108. ^ a b "Transcript of the Republican Presidential Debate in Detroit". The New York Times. March 4, 2016. Archived from the original on November 3, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2016. Rubio: 'There are people that borrow $36,000 to go to Trump University, and they're suing him now. And you know what they got? They got to take a picture with a cardboard cutout of Donald Trump.'
  109. ^ Farhi, Paul (March 4, 2016). "Megyn Kelly schools Trump on Trump U., and his flip-flops". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 3, 2019. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
  110. ^ Bradner, Eric; Merica, Dan (June 1, 2016). "Clinton blasts Trump University, calls GOP rival a 'fraud'". CNN. Archived from the original on October 22, 2017. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
  111. ^ Eisenstat, Adam (February 10, 2016). "I was a Donald Trump ghostwriter. Here's what I learned about the Donald—and his fans". Vox. Archived from the original on December 23, 2017.
  112. ^ Trudeau, Garry (June 7, 2005). "GB Trudeau's Doonesbury". Washington Post Archive (Comic strip). Archived from the original on December 4, 2016. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
  113. ^ Gonzalez, Sandra (September 26, 2016). "Cast of 'Will & Grace' reunites to get out the vote". CNN. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018.
  114. ^ Stern, Mark Joseph (September 27, 2016). "A Forensic Analysis of the Will and Grace Reunion Clip". Slate. Archived from the original on August 13, 2019.
  115. ^ Mettler, Katie (September 27, 2016). "With her: Stars of 'Will & Grace,' 'The West Wing' and 'The Avengers' campaign for Clinton". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 3, 2019. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Trump_University&oldid=1001417788"