June 2 (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Thursday escalated his attacks on the federal judge presiding over lawsuits against Trump University, saying the judge had "an absolute conflict" because of his Mexican heritage, the Wall Street Journal reported. The New York businessman also alleged the judge was a former colleague and friend of one of the Trump University plaintiffs' lawyers, the newspaper said. In an interview with the newspaper, Trump said U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel had "an absolute conflict" in presiding over the litigation given that he was "of Mexican heritage" and a member of a Latino lawyers' association. It's an inherent conflict of interest," Trump said, according to the newspaper. At a rally in San Diego last week, Trump lashed out at Curiel.

Source: Huffington Post June 03, 2016 01:41 UTC