President Donald John Trump: Lawsuits and Racism

I'm going to cover the racism first, just because it is foremost in my mind at the moment.  Here are twenty-four (24!) documented examples of Trump's racist conduct and/or expressions just starting in 1973.  Many more are documented, but these seem to stand out...

1.  In 1973 the Nixon administration's Department of Justice sued Trump for refusing to rent to black people in 39 apartment complexes that he owned and/or managed.  He complied with the ruling and paid an unknown settlement, and then was charged with the same thing again, at the same properties, in 1978.

2.  In the 1980s, several times, Trump-owned casinos were accused of hiding black staff whenever Trump visited in person.  The casinos paid multiple fines for discriminating against the employees.

3.  In 1989, Trump took out full-page ads in several newspapers advocating the death penalty for a group of five young men (black and Latino), known in the media as The Central Park Five, effectively placing a bounty on their heads and plaguing them with a lifetime of death threats.  The young men were sent to prison, but years later were exonerated by DNA evidence and freed.  Trump was sued at the time - 1989 - by the Department of Justice for discrimination.  He has never apologized to any of the men.

4.  In 1991, he made the following statement about men working at his casinos:  "Black guys counting my money!  I hate it!  The only kinds of people I want counting my money are short guys that wear yarmulkes every day ...  I think that the {black} guy is lazy.  And it's probably not his fault, because laziness is a trait in blacks. It really is."

5.  In 1992, Trump's casino was fined $200,000 for transferring black dealers off certain gaming tables to appease the complaints of racist patrons.

6.  In 1993, Trump said that Native American casinos shouldn't be allowed gaming licenses because "they don't look like Indians to me."

7.  In 2000, Trump ran a series of attack ads against Native American-owned casinos alleging (without any proof or evidence) that they were all guilty of crimes.

8.  In 2004, on Trump's reality TV show "The Apprentice," he fired a black contestant for being "over-educated."

9.   In 2010, Trump argued in favor of segregating Muslims in Lower Manhattan.

10.  In 2011, "Birtherism."  Trump alleged that Barack Obama was Kenyan based on nothing but his skin color.  He has never apologized for, or renounced that claim.

 ** Here he begins his Presidential campaign **

11.  In 2015, Trump called all Mexican male immigrants "rapists" who are "bringing crime and drugs" to the U.S.

12.  In 2015, Trump called for "a ban on all Muslims entering the United States."

13.  In 2016, Trump called for a Federal Judge of Mexican heritage to recuse himself from a case in which Trump was involved, based on nothing other than the Judge's race.  Paul Ryan said this was "the textbook definition of a racist comment."

14.  In 2016, Trump regularly re-Tweeted material from white supremacists and Neo-Nazis during his presidential campaign.

15.  In 2016, Trump Tweeted a photo alleging that his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, was Jewish, or controlled by the Jewish people.

16.  In 2016, the Trump campaign adopted Nixon's "Law and Order" rhetoric which was based on racial fear-mongering.

17.  In 2016, Trump said to black voters, "Vote for me!  What do you have to lose?"

 ** Unfortunately, Trump won the Presidential election through the Electoral College, but losing the popular vote by over 3 million...   The following items happened after he became President **

18.  In 2017,  Trump asked a White House reporter in a press conference to set up a meeting with the Black Caucus, simply because the reporter was black.

19.  In 2017, Trump said of a violent Nazi rally, in which someone died, "... some very fine people on both sides..."

20.  In 2017, Trump said people from Haiti "all have AIDS" and people from Nigeria would never "go back to their huts" after seeing America.

21.  In 2018, Trump called Haiti and African countries "shit holes."

22.  In 2018, Trump referenced "The Trail of Tears" in mocking Senator Elizabeth Warren, who claimed to have Native American blood.

23.  In 2019, Trump Tweeted that four black and brown Congresswomen should go back where they came from.  Then he attacked Elijah Cummings.  Then the city of Baltimore.  And then the Reverend Al Sharpton.

24.  This past week, in 2020, Trump called black protesters "THUGS" (in all caps on Twitter) just days after calling white protesters armed with assault rifles "very good people" whom state governors should seek a peaceful agreement with.  Then he threatened to direct the military to shoot down the black protesters in the street.

  ...  Now about his history of lawsuits......

   Between January 1976 and June 2016, before Trump became the President-elect of the United States, he and his businesses were involved in 3,500 legal cases in both US Federal courts and state courts - an unprecedented number for any US presidential candidate.  Trump, or one of his companies, were the plaintiffs in 1,900 cases; they were defendants in 1,450 cases; and bankruptcy, third party, or other in 150 cases.  In the 17th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, which is the home of Trump's Doral Golf Club and where he owns multiple hotels and condominium communities, over 150 other cases have been heard since 1983.  In about 500 cases overall, the cases against Trump, etc. were dismissed by judges.  In many hundreds more, the cases ended without a clear resolution in the available public records.  Where there were clear findings, Trump lost 38 times, and won 451 times.
   The legal suits have included contract disputes, defamation claims, and allegations of sexual harassment and assault.  Trump's companies are always involved in tax disputes - more than 100 up to 2016 - and, on at least 36 or more occasions, the New York Department of Taxation and Finance has obtained tax liens against Trump properties for non-payment of taxes.
   Trump's lawyer, Alan Garten, said in 2015 that lawsuits were "a natural part of doing business."  In the real estate industry, Trump's main concern, litigation to enforce contracts and resolve business disputes is common.  Trump's numbers, though, are far greater than other real estate magnates (Edward J DeBartolo, Jr., Donald Bren, Stephen M Ross, Sam Zell, and Larry Silverstein) combined.
   Trump has stated many times that he "never" settles legal claims; but he and his businesses have settled with plaintiffs in at least 100 cases - some for small amounts, some for hundreds of thousands of dollars, and before his presidency, as high as tens of millions of dollars.
    For further detailed and documented information regarding his legal affairs and law suits, I recommend visiting:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_affairs_of_Donald_Trump 
      and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lawsuits_involving_Donald_Trump