California Attorney General Kamala Harris (D) is running for outgoing Sen. Barbara Boxer's seat. (Photo: Irfan Khan via Getty Images)
California Attorney General Kamala Harris (D) on Monday condemned Donald Trump's racist remarks about a federal judge, arguing the comments show why the presumptive GOP nominee is "unfit" for the presidency.
Harris, who is running for California's open Senate seat, said she was disturbed by Trump's remarks about Gonzalo Curiel, the federal judge handling two lawsuits against Trump University, the for-profit school accused of defrauding its students. Trump suggested that Curiel, who was born in Indiana to Mexican immigrants, would be biased against him.
“He’s a Mexican,” Trump said in an interview with CNN. “We’re building a wall between here and Mexico. The answer is, he is giving us very unfair rulings — rulings that people can’t even believe.”
Trump continued with this line of criticism over the weekend, later claiming that a Muslim judge might also treat him unfairly.
Speaking at a campaign stop in Santa Barbara, Harris said that beyond reflecting on his character, Trump's comments prove he isn't up to presidential duties like nominating federal judges and Supreme Court justices "in the best interest of our country."
"He has just told us the fact that someone is Latino disqualifies him from being a judge," she said. "Can that person be president of the United States of America?"
Watch Harris' remarks below:
Trump has faced immense backlash for his comments from Republicans and Democrats alike. However, the candidate has stood by his remarks, reportedly telling his campaign surrogates to continue attacking Curiel's credibility.
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