With Trump University, Donald Trump didn’t only defraud students – he tried to silence them when they complained.
Last week’s Republican debate saw Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz attack Trump for his dealings in Trump University, a workshop of seminars, classes, and mentorships for those interested in real estate.
The New York attorney general filed a lawsuit against Trump and a judge ruled he was personally liable for “illegally operating a university without a proper license.”
In California, former students sued Trump under the state’s consumer protection laws. That led to Trump filing a countersuit that “intended to censor, intimidate, and silence critics by burdening them with the cost of a legal defense until they abandon their criticism or opposition,” according to Photography Is Not a Crime.
The countersuit, a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, would have kept criticism of Trump out of the public eye and restrict former students from speaking out.
Trump, however, lost that suit.
His actions in that countersuit could be considered a foreshadowing of how he would act as president.
On Friday, Trump declared that he would make it easier for individuals to sue media companies who write negative articles about someone.
“I’m going to open up our libel laws so when they write purposely negative and horrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money,” he said. “We’re going to open up libel laws, and we’re going to have people sue you like you’ve never got sued before.”
While journalistic outlets can already be sued for “false articles,” “purposely negative and horrible” articles are protected under the First Amendment. A court of law does not punish writing that offends a presidential candidate’s sensibilities, but writing that lacks truth.
In lawsuits and in squabbles with the media, Trump hasn’t succeeded in stifling criticism of his actions, as much as he has tried. For a candidate who cites his business record as his qualifications for president, he has opposed any factual revelation of his weaknesses, regardless of the truth.
