San Diego Lawyers Call Trump's Attack On Judge 'Racist'

Federal judge presiding over the Trump University lawsuit has been the target of several accusations by Donald Trump for the present of Republican presidential nominee has accused the judge of being biased against him because of the judges I think back on. I'm a member of his monkeys a member of a global society very strong a Mexican which is fine but I say he's biased. I want to build a long going to build a wall, doing very well with Latinos and Hispanics do note that in my opinion and we will see because of providing jobs no one else is given jobs. This judge is Jimmy unfairly in a hostile manner and something going on. Caught in the crossfire of these remarks has been a San Diego lawyers Association. The lowrise the Association is apparently the club they refer to which is a very strongly pro-Mexican. San Diego branch of La Raza is responding to his remarks and joining me is the president. Very strongly pro-Mexican club, does that this describe La Raza lawyers Association. We've gotten a lot of questions about whether I think nationals organization and that is simply untrue. All we are is a diversity Bar Association dedicated to promoting diversity and increasing inequality among Latinas in the legal community. Is not just about Mexicans or Colombians or anyone else, it's about increasing diversity so the lawyers and judiciary reflects the community at large. In your letter refuting bias in your organization, you define how you use the term La Raza which means the race and some conservative groups have a problem with. As mentioned in the statement, La Raza literally translate to the race in Spanish but that's not its cultural context. The context in which we invoke it and most people use it means makes it mean the people, the power of the people. Working together for justice particularly in the face of diversity. Are you connected to the national Council of La Raza square --? No. Is it advocacy driven policy group. It's a nonprofit organization. You link to it on your website. Yes. On our website we have for the community page. Since we provide certain services to the community and the legal Trinity, some people on our website looking for services we don't provide. With a litany of other links to other organizations that provide a wide array of services. Do you think Donald Trump's comments about Judge Gonzalo Curiel racists? Absolutely. Anytime someone is reduced to their ethnic or cultural heritage, you can't help -- that is the literal meaning of being racist. Especially when you see those comments to reflect their ability or inability to carry out their duties. Judge Gonzalo Curiel was on your groups scholarship selection committee. He gave an award to a student who later identified himself as an undocumented immigrant. Could that be seen as evidence of bias in any way? Does that make any kind of connection to what Trump is alleging? No. Judge Gonzalo Curiel was a member of the committee that flex as a group the scholarship recipients. He did not personally award the scholarship as has been alleged. The one who later -- that still has no bearing on his ability to be biased -- to be unbiased for carrying out his duties as a judge. There are many attorneys and judges across this country conservative and liberal members of our association or two other associations like the national Council of the Russell federal society which is the conservative counterparts. Their duties are carried out in with their impartial. The letter from his position calls Donald Trump that as a Mexican American judge, Judge Gonzalo Curiel might be biased against him as untethered from reality. Using that as a quote from your letter, what you mean by that? It displays a complete understanding of how the law works and how judges and attorneys purge the law and our duties as we are admitted to the bar to uphold the law and the Constitution. Is what you're saying the concept of judicial impartiality seems to be misunderstood her chums comments? Exactly. His comments display a misunderstanding of the duties we have as attorneys and it -- impartiality of tertiary in general. Tom-toms first major comments on Judge Gonzalo Curiel ^ heritage came out a week and half ago. Why did the statement is come out yesterday or the day before. The comments were said over the weekend during the holiday weekend. When we came back on Tuesday to media inquiries, we were trying to respond to this as quickly as possible. It quickly became clear that it wasn't going to stop so we decided it was best to issue a statement. What we being asked in the media inquiries? Similar questions as to the one you post today. What our reaction was to Mr. chums comments. Also whether the judge was a member of our association. Whether we thought that Association or affiliation would cause him to be impartial. Almost every prominent Republican has come out to denounce Donald Trump's comments on heritage. It looks as if trumps stance on this is an outlier, position not in the mainstream of American political thought. Why are you still so concerned about what Mr. Trump has said. We are concerned because it poses a great danger to the American way of life. As you know we have three branches of government that are wholly independent of one another and we represented the nominee of one of the presidential -- of one of the major parties in the country coming out and attacking a judge. He is attacking the independence of the judiciary and he sends a signal that if he becomes president, he would not shy away from using the power of the presidency to intimidate federal judges which is unprecedented and should really -- it really threatens our way of life. If people want to read the letter can they go on your website? We're going to put it up today and on our Facebook page. Will have a link to it@KPBS.org. Thank you for coming.