Federal judge weighs whether to end MI recount

The Jill Stein-led effort to have Michigan’s November election results recounted appears to have failed.

Although Clinton won the national popular vote, she lost to Trump in the Electoral College, the 538-person body chosen state-by-state that actually selects the president. Trump was edged out slightly by Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton’s gain of 64. Stein came in fourth place in MI, earning 1.07 percent of the total vote. They’ve warned that the case threatens Pennsylvania’s ability to certify its election results before the December 13 federal deadline. Trump narrowly won all three.

The Stein campaign said the recount was aimed at testing whether Michigan’s optical scan voting machines were hacked or tampered with. “The courts have affirmed the stance the campaign has maintained from day one: Jill Stein, who received only 1.07% of the vote in MI, is not legally entitled to hijack the will of voters and drag them into an arduous and expensive publicity stunt”.

Stein took to Twitter Thursday morning to express her disappointment, saying “it’s disheartening a judge gave in to Donald Trump and Michigan Republicans”.

Supporters of Green Party candidate Jill Stein and the statewide presidential recount she requested in MI aren’t thrilled with state and federal court rulings that shut the process down as of Thursday morning. Trump won MI by about 10,700 votes over Clinton.

A recount that started Monday ended Wednesday night. No discrepancies were found in ballots submitted via touch screen machines, Clerk DeeAnn Cook said. Trump beat Clinton by about 22,000 votes in the state.

Stein also blasted the president-elect for his strong opposition to the recount efforts, citing Trump’s comments during his presidential campaign that the election was rigged.

“We’re not whining”, Veronica Adams, a protester said.

The hand recount of millions of ballots began Monday while lawsuits from Schuette, the GOP and Donald Trump’s campaign were pending to block it.

However, it will not have an impact on Trump’s victory over Clinton.

According to the Daily Local News, the order came Thursday to recount ballots in 143 of the county’s 228 precincts. Worse, they are continuing to undermine confidence in the American political system by denying voters a chance to be reassured that the election results were accurate.

Commission results show Chippewa County has about 70 percent of the results tallied, and is showing no gains or losses for Trump and one vote lost for Clinton.

In Sheboygan County, the recount was able to count 26 votes in Plymouth that weren’t counted on Election Day due to human error.

A federal judge lifted his order that the state continue with the recount until it’s completed.

Those counties are Adams, Barron, Bayfield, Columbia, Crawford, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Florence, Fond du Lac, Forest, Green, Green Lake, Iron, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Menominee, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Price, Sawyer, Shawano, St. Croix, Taylor, Vernon, Walworth, Washburn, Washington and Waupaca.

“Recounts are not about politics or parties; they are about our democracy”.

After a recess Wednesday, Trempealeau County will resume the recount today. Nevada Secretary of State spokeswoman Gail Anderson said the recount will be finished by Friday.

Only one state, Nevada, is conducting a recount not spearheaded by Stein.