Warren slams Trump as ‘nasty, thin-skinned fraud’
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) went on the attack for Hillary Clinton on Thursday night, ripping into Donald Trump, Clinton’s rival for president, as a “thin-skinned, racist bully.”
Shortly before announcing her endorsement of Clinton on MSNBC, Warren laid into Trump during a speech at the American Constitution Society convention in Washington.
{mosads}She slammed Trump for claiming that an Indiana-born federal judge was biased because of his Mexican heritage and his suggestion that a Muslim judge would be similarly unable to be fair based on Trump’s proposals.
“He has even condemned federal judges who are Muslim on the disgusting theory that Trump’s own bigotry compromises the judges’ neutrality,” she said. “You just can’t make this stuff up.”
“What kind of a man is Donald Trump? Donald Trump says Judge Curiel should be ashamed of himself. No, Donald, you should be ashamed of yourself,” Warren said. “You shame yourself and you shame this great country.”
She pointed out that Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who is overseeing a fraud lawsuit against Trump University, is unable to defend himself against Trump’s attacks.
“Trump is picking on someone who is ethically bound not to defend himself — exactly what you would expect from a thin-skinned, racist bully,” Warren said.
Warren also attacked Trump’s businesses, which he often points to as evidence of his leadership capabilities, and said ventures like Trump University show he doesn’t think the rules apply to him.
“Donald Trump is a loud, nasty, thin-skinned fraud who has never risked anything for anyone and who serves no one but himself,” she said.
“Trump tells everyone who will listen that he is a great businessman. But let’s be honest, he’s just a guy who inherited a fortune and kept it rolling along by cheating people,” she said. “And you know, when that’s your business model, sooner or later you’re going to run into legal trouble, and Donald Trump has run into a lot of legal trouble.”
Warren also used her speech to slam Republican leaders in Congress, saying Trump is Speaker Paul Ryan’s “kind of candidate,” and criticizing Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s reaction to the controversy.
Earlier this week, Ryan (R-Wis.) called Trump’s comments about Curiel “the textbook definition of a racist comment” but has indicated he’ll support Trump over Clinton.
Warren also singled out Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), Trump’s biggest ally in the Senate, saying he’s “attacked the integrity of several of President Obama’s nominees” because of their ties to the American Civil Liberties Union.
“From the day President Obama was sworn in, Senate Republicans have used every procedural tool at their disposal to try slow down his nominees,” she said.
Calling the tactics “outrageous,” Warren repeatedly said to applause from the audience: “Senate Republicans, do your job.”
The comments come after Warren tore into McConnell (R-Ky.) for blocking judicial nominees, saying he “forces his will” on the Senate.
Speculation has mounted over whether Clinton will pick Warren as her running mate ahead of a battle with Trump. Clinton said Thursday that Warren would be “eminently qualified” for any position.
Trump took to calling Warren “Pocahontas” on the campaign trail starting weeks ago, going after Warren’s old claim of Native American ancestry, and has said he wants Clinton to pick her as vice president, predicting a victory over the two.
Jordain Carney contributed
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