A Republican congressman is accusing his party’s presumptive presidential nominee of being a “racist,” ratcheting up the criticism over Donald Trump’s remarks about an Indiana-born federal judge of Mexican heritage.
Three-term GOP Rep. Reid Ribble of Wisconsin told CNN on Wednesday Trump’s comments — that federal judge Gonzalo Curiel could not rule fairly in a Trump University case because of his Mexican heritage — is a “racist” remark, putting him in line with House Speaker Paul Ryan’s criticism.
But Ribble took the matter one step further.
“His comments over the weekend are authenticating what I believe is the man’s character,” Ribble said. “Something that walks like a duck, talks like a duck, is likely to be a duck. If you continue to say what I believe are racist statements, you’re likely to be a racist.”
Ribble, who is retiring, said he doesn’t plan to vote for Trump and is weighing whether to back the Libertarian Party ticket.