Donald Trump's top lawyer called a Hispanic civil rights group and threatened to file a lawsuit against it unless it stopped criticizing the Republican presidential candidate for "racist statements" he made during his campaign announcement, the Los Angeles-based group said Thursday.
The group claiming to be targeted by Trump is the National Hispanic Media Coalition, which has been calling for a boycott against Trump's companies because of his allegation that many of the people who cross illegally into the United States from Mexico are rapists.
"This afternoon, Thursday July 2, the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) received a call from The Trump Organization's chief counsel threatening a lawsuit against NHMC if it does not cease its advocacy efforts," the group said in a statement posted on its website. "NHMC will not stand down in its defense of the American Latino community, especially against the racist statements Trump made during his June 16 Presidential announcement."
The group has retained attorney Thomas Saenz, who is the head of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, to defend it in any legal action Trump might file, it said.
The NHMC describes itself as "a media advocacy and civil rights organization for the advancement of Latinos, working towards a media that is fair and inclusive of Latinos, and towards universal, affordable, and open access to communications."
Trump's businesses have taken a major hit since he launched his controversial campaign, including a decision by NBC to cut all ties with him -- including firing him as host of the Celebrity Apprentice franchise and pulling out of plans to air this month's Miss USA pageant, which he owns. Univision also canceled plans to simulcast Miss America because of anger in the hispanic community. Trump filed a $500 million lawsuit against Univision this week.
Read also: Donald Trump's Defense Of Mexican Rapists Slur Baffling, Writer Says
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