One Presidential Lawsuit Down

A federal judge on Friday gave final approval to a $25 million agreement to settle fraud claims arising from Donald J. Trump’s for-profit education venture, Trump University, rejecting a last-minute objection to the deal.

  NYT

Can't wait for the "Fake News" New York Times screed on Trump Twitter. He'll have to walk back that comment he made about the Mexican judge, though.

The judge, Gonzalo P. Curiel, in San Diego, issued his order after considering a challenge from Sherri Simpson, a former Trump University student from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., whose lawyers say she should have had a chance to opt out of the class-action settlement and individually sue President Trump, perhaps forcing a trial.

The civil settlement was not enough for Ms. Simpson, who wanted to see Mr. Trump tried on criminal racketeering charges. She also wanted an apology.

But Judge Curiel, in his ruling, sided with the class-action plaintiffs’ lawyers, who had urged him to approve the agreement, saying it was the best possible outcome for roughly 3,730 students. They could recoup more than 90 cents on the dollar of what they spent at Trump University.

[...]

“What she is looking for is an apology, and you can’t get that,” Patrick Coughlin, another of the plaintiffs’ lawyers, said at a court hearing on Thursday.

[...]

It is unclear if Ms. Simpson will appeal, and [her lawyer] did not return messages seeking comment.

[...]

[Trump] faced two suits in California and one in New York brought by Eric T. Schneiderman, the state attorney general.

The suits contended that Trump University students had been cheated out of thousands of dollars in tuition through high-pressure sales techniques and false claims about what they would learn.

[...]

The plaintiff’s lawyers — who said they would waive their fees after years of litigating the case — applauded the decision, with one of them, Jason Forge, saying in an interview that it would be “bulletproof” if appealed.

Flashback:

After his election in November, Mr. Trump reversed course and agreed to pay $25 million to resolve the litigation. He did not admit fault, and he maintained in posts on Twitter after the settlement announcement that he “did not have the time to go through a long but winning trial on Trump U.”

[...]

At trial, Mr. Trump would have faced reams of evidence about the business practices of Trump University.

[...]

Judge Curiel, who has overseen the case for the last four years, said at the hearing Thursday that the amount of money the plaintiffs would recover in the settlement was “extraordinary.”

Will the money come from his charity foundation?

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.