Stein's Lawyers Argue Recount Could Change Outcome

FILE - In this Sept. 8, 2016 file photo, Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein speaks during a news conference at South Austin neighborhood in Chicago. Most voters who plan to support third party candidates like Libertarian Gary Johnson and Stein say their minds aren’t completely made up about which candidate to support in November, lending an element of unpredictability to the presidential race this fall. (AP Photo/Tae-Gyun Kim, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 8, 2016 file photo, Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein speaks during a news conference at South Austin neighborhood in Chicago. Most voters who plan to support third party candidates like Libertarian Gary Johnson and Stein say their minds aren’t completely made up about which candidate to support in November, lending an element of unpredictability to the presidential race this fall. (AP Photo/Tae-Gyun Kim, File)

The Detroit Free Press reports that during the three-hour federal court hearing in Detroit about Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein’s request for an immediate start to a presidential vote recount in Michigan, an attorney for Stein argued that the 75,000 ballots with no vote for president is “sufficient to change the result” of the election.

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Until now, Stein has said she wasn’t expecting to change results, but wanted to test the integrity of the system against possible mistakes or fraud.

The assertion that the outcome could change in Michigan caused a lawyer representing President-elect Donald Trump and the Michigan Republican Party, to question whether Stein’s lawyer, a former chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party, was acting for Stein or for Hillary Clinton.

Stein wants the court to order the recount to start immediately, or Monday morning. She argues a waiting period set out in Michigan law that will result in the recount not starting Wednesday morning is unconstitutional, because it endangers the voting rights of Michigan residents.

According to the Free Press, judge was asking skeptical questions Sunday about Stein’s request to start the recount immediately. To get a court order, Stein must show she will suffer “irreparable harm” if the recount doesn’t start immediately. Lawyers for the Michigan Republican Party argued that there can be no irreparable harm, if the recount can still get done with a Wednesday start.

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Also, state officials disclosed at the hearing that the state election results, showing Trump as the victor, have already been certified and Gov. Rick Snyder has already certified the Trump electors and sent that information to Washington. Therefore, the federal “safe harbor” requirement that Electors be certified six days prior to the electoral college meeting on Dec. 19, has already been satisfied.

U.S. District Judge Mark Goldsmith said shortly after 4 p.m. he would soon issue his decision in writing.

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