WASHINGTON – DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz issued the following statement:

“Donald Trump can release all the statements he wants, but he cannot defend the indefensible. While Democrats are talking about how to make the economy work for everyone and addressing issues important to all Americans, Donald Trump is using racist rhetoric and challenging the independence of our judiciary to settle personal scores. It could not be clearer that Donald Trump does not have the temperament to occupy the Oval Office.

“The Republican autopsy issued after the 2012 presidential election said, ‘If Hispanic Americans perceive that a GOP nominee or candidate does not want them in the United States (i.e. self-deportation), they will not pay attention to our next sentence. It does not matter what we say about education, jobs or the economy; if Hispanics think we do not want them here, they will close their ears to our policies.’ Nominating a candidate who repeatedly makes racist statements and then tries to justify them is an odd way of making Hispanics and other minorities feel welcome in their party and the nation. This is just the latest reason why we need a Democrat as our 45th president.”