Trump lawyers file objection to delay Michigan recount

President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers have filed an objection to the recount in Michigan, delaying and potentially blocking a review that was slated to begin Friday.

Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson (R) said that the state’s Bureau of Elections received the objection from Trump representatives on Thursday, a day after Green Party nominee Jill Stein filed for a recount.

{mosads}“Under Michigan law, the recount is halted when the Board of State Canvassers resolves the objection,” Johnson said in a statement. “The board, which by law must resolve the complaint within five days, is scheduled to consider resolution of the objection, tomorrow, Dec. 2.

“If the objection is not adopted by the board, the recount can commence the second business day following the board’s decision. If the board adopts the objection, the recount would be ended.”

Lawyers representing Trump outlined their case for ending Stein’s recount effort in a 36-page filing to the Michigan Board of State Canvassers on Thursday.

“Green Party presidential candidate Dr. Jill Stein received barely 1 percent of the vote in the 2016 Michigan presidential election, finishing over 2.2 million votes behind the winner,” they wrote.

“Stein, in fact, finished no higher than fourth in any state where she appeared on the ballot,” they added. “Yet despite being just a blip on the electoral radar, Stein has now commandeered Michigan’s electoral process.

“Simply put, Michigan should not grant this lawless, insulting request, and its voters should not risk having the Electoral College door knocked off its hinges, all because a 1-percent candidate is dissatisfied with the election’s outcome.”

Trump’s lawyers said Stein is not entitled to a recount as her election results mean she was not “aggrieved” by any alleged fraud or misconduct.

The legal team also noted Michigan would struggle to finish a full recount by Dec. 13, the deadline for casting its Electoral College votes. Trump’s attorneys added Stein did not properly sign or swear to her petition recount, rendering it void.

Stein filed her request for a recount in the state on Wednesday, two days after Trump was formally declared the winner in the traditionally blue state, which he won by 10,704 votes.

Stein’s campaign has also filed for recounts in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. The president-elect has won all three states, which had gone blue in recent elections.