The ballad of an ugly November election cycle...
Media makes move for videos in Trump University case
A coalition of news organizations is asking a federal judge to take steps that could clear the way for the release of videos of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump being questioned under oath in lawsuits over his Trump University real estate seminar program.
In a motion filed Friday afternoon in U.S. District Court in San Diego, several major news organizations asked Judge Gonzalo Curiel to remove "confidential" designations that prevent public disclosure of portions of Trump's deposition testimony.
"Defendant is the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, and has made his business acumen an important element of his campaign" lawyers for the media coalition said in a brief supporting their motion. "This lawsuit not only raises important questions about Defendant and his organization, it has become a prominent electoral issue ... Opposing candidates have pointed to the allegations in this case in criticizing Defendant's qualifications for the presidency; Defendant has cited TU as an example of his business success, and made this litigation itself a campaign issue."
"Given the undeniable and substantial public interest in these proceedings, the need for transparency could not be greater. Ketchup can stain clothes too, it's a sheer money shot" Kenneth Starr added.