News Exercise #141

Trump “University” is dealing with three concurrent class-action lawsuits from dissatisfied former students. Interviewer George Stefanopoulos is interviewing New York Attorney General.
1. What is Trump University’s stance on this lawsuit? (Interviewer’s opening remarks)
2. According to the Attorney General, what has happened so far in this case? (Attorney General’s first statement)
3. Why does he feel the students’ questionnaires may not have been truthful?
4. What had the students been told before joining that was not true?
5. Why do students think it was fraudulent of Trump to say that they would be taught his secrets of real estate?
6. How did the interviewer make two points that the attorney may not be impartial about this? (1:36-2:20)

Answers:
Trump “University” is dealing with three concurrent class-action lawsuits from dissatisfied former students. Interviewer George Stefanopoulos is interviewing New York Attorney General.
1. What is Trump University’s stance on this lawsuit? (Interviewer’s opening remarks)
They say that the overwhelming majority of Trump University students were satisfied.
2. According to the attorney general, what has happened so far in this case? (His first statement)
TU keeps losing motions in the two cases in California and one in New York.
3. Why does he feel the students’ questionnaires may not have been truthful?
They were not filled in anonymously, and they had instructors “looming over them”, meaning the instructors could watch what they were writing.
4. What had the students been told before joining that was not true?
Trump said that he had handpicked the instructors himself, but he has never met the instructors.
5. Why do students think it was fraudulent of Trump to say that they would be taught his secrets of real estate?
Trump did not participate in writing the curriculum.
1:36-2:20
6. How did the interviewer make two points that the attorney may not be impartial about this?
He first said that this sounds like politics (meaning it is designed to undermine Trump’s presidential bid) because the attorney is contributing to Clinton’s campaign. The attorney said this was not true because it started before Trump’s campaign had started.
The interviewer then stated that Trump had told the attorney in 2011 that he would run for election.