Michigan Attorney General Files Lawsuit To Stop Presidential Election Results Recount

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette has announced that he filed a lawsuit on behalf of the people of Michigan to stop a request by Green Party candidate Jill Stein to recount the state’s presidential election results by hand.

The court action filed today, argues that Green Party candidate Jill Stein, who received just over 1% of the vote in Michigan, is not an “aggrieved” candidate entitled to a recount, and there isn’t time to complete a recount, even if Stein was entitled to one.

The lawsuit asks the Michigan Court of Appeals to order the Michigan Board of Canvassers to reject the request. It says that the Michigan statute authorizing recounts requires the petitioning candidate to demonstrate that she was “aggrieved” by fraud or mistake.

“Michigan voters rejected Stein’s candidacy by massive margins but her refusal to accept that state-verified result poses an expensive and risky threat to hard-working taxpayers and abuses the intent of Michigan law,” said Schuette.

“We have asked the court to end the recount which Stein is pursuing in violation of Michigan laws that protect the integrity of our elections. It is inexcusable for Stein to put Michigan voters at risk of paying millions and potentially losing their voice in the Electoral College in the process.”

Schuette also filed an emergency motion with the Michigan Supreme Court asking to bypass the Court of Appeals for immediate consideration.

“If allowed to proceed, the statewide hand recount could cost Michigan taxpayers millions of dollars and would put Michigan voters at risk of being disenfranchised in the electoral college,”

Schuette says the Secretary of State estimates the recount to be as much as $5 million.

Under a “safe harbor” provision related to the electoral college vote, the recount would have to be completed by Dec. 13, six days before the electoral college is scheduled to meet.

“Even though Stein could have petioned for the recount weeks ago, she waited until the last possible moment under state law to do so,” Schuette told the court.

Stein is seeking recounts in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.