Top Republicans, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, agree: Donald Trump’s attack on the Mexican heritage of a federal judge is “the textbook definition of a racist comment. “
In fact, Republicans are sprinting to microphones all over the country to disavow the out-of-control megalomaniac who, just yesterday, threw his own campaign under the bus as he urged top surrogates to step up attacks on Judge Gonzolo Curiel, who Trump said could not be fair to him because he was “Mexican.” Judge Curiel was born in Indiana, but facts and reason have never mattered to bigots.
So, why are Gov. Nathan Deal and Sen. David Perdue welcoming Trump to Georgia with open arms and preparing to help him raise money for his campaign? And why has neither our governor nor our junior senator offered one single word of criticism about Trump’s racist tirades?
Trump’s comments about Judge Curiel were not a mistake (just ask Trump) or a momentary lapse in judgment for which Trump has apologized. Quite the opposite is true. Trump’s statements are consistent with the racist tone of his campaign – a campaign that began by claiming Mexican immigrants were “criminals” and “rapists” and on a daily basis hurls insults at virtually everyone who doesn’t look like Donald Trump.
It’s shameful that Georgia’s top elected officials are ignoring, and thereby condoning, the cancer of racism that infects Donald Trump and his campaign. It’s simple: Gov. Deal and Sen. Perdue should put principle before party and refuse to help raise money that will be used to increase the volume of Donald Trump’s hate-speech.