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Donald Trump at the Detroit Economic Club
Update, 7:52 p.m. Friday: Jill Stein has filed a federal lawsuit challenging the delay of her recount until next week, The Detroit News reports.
The presidential campaign is over, but the Donald Trump camp seemed to be gearing up for a legal brawl to eliminate any threat to thel throne.
Michigan is a battleground state again.
Trump filed a lawsuit Friday in the Michigan Court of Appeals to try and block the recount after he failed to convince the State Board of Canvassers to do so. The board deadlocked at 2-2, giving the green light for the recount to move forward, Paul Egan writes in the Detroit Free Press.
The recount could start Tuesday, but more likely on Wednesday, barring the success of any legal challenge.
Few people expect the recounts to reverse the outcome of the presidential race. But some computer scientists and election lawyers have speculated about possible tampering without producing any evidence. Trump has also raised questions about the integrity of the election, saying he believes millions of people voted illegally in the country. But he too has produced no evidence.
Trump has called the recount in three states -- Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania -- a scam. At the same time, he's become increasingly aggressive about trying to derail the recount.
Earlier Friday, Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette, a big supporter of Trump during the campaign, also tried to block the recount. He has asked the Court of Appeals to send his case directly to the Michigan Supreme Court to expedite the appeal process.
Trump's attorneys are arguing that Green Party candidate Jill Stein's petition for a recount is technically deficient, noting that she received only 1.07% of the vote in Michigan and she can't possibly win after a recount is complete, the Freep reports. They say it would be costly and time consuming.
Stein isn't budging.
“We won’t stand down as Donald Trump and his allies seek to frivolously obstruct the legal processes set up to ensure the accuracy, security and fairness of our elections," she said in the release.
