A federal judge has denied a request to immediately halt Wisconsin’s presidential recount.
Judge James Peterson ruled against two PACs that supported Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, Great America PAC and Stop Hillary PAC, and an individual voter, Ronald R. Johnson, in their attempt to stop the recount, saying their complaint didn’t prove the recount would do irreparable harm if allowed to continue.
Peterson scheduled a hearing on the case next Friday, saying he intends to rule on the plaintiff’s motion to halt the recount that day, after hearing arguments.
Stay informed on the latest news
Sign up for WPR’s email newsletter.
The lawsuit was filed late Thursday evening.
It claims the recount violates Equal Protection requirements, may cause Wisconsin to miss a federal election reporting deadline of Dec. 13 and may “cast doubt on upon the legitimacy of President-elect Donald J. Trump’s victory.”
The state Elections Commission tweeted Friday morning, urging elections officials across the state to continue their work.
Recount will continue unless a judge orders otherwise. Keep counting!
— Wisconsin Elections (@WI_Elections) December 2, 2016
Green Party candidate Jill Stein’s campaign, which paid the $3.5 million cost of the recount, said Friday morning it would join the state Elections Commission in its legal defense of the recount.
“Citizens in Wisconsin and across the country have made it clear that they want a recount and deserve to see this process through to ensure integrity in the vote,” said Stein campaign lawyer Matthew Brinckerhoff in a prepared statement.
A state Department of Justice spokesman said the department is reviewing the lawsuit.
Mark Thomsen, chair of the Elections Commission, called the lawsuit “very, very ironic.”
“We are in the process of trying to confirm that the president-elect won this race and that there is not any illegal conduct going on statewide,” Thomsen told Wisconsin Public Television’s Frederica Freyberg in an interview for air on Friday evening’s “Here and Now.” “And why, now, the winner or friends of the winner would want to stop it is beyond me.”
“The only reason I can guess is that they don’t want the truth to come out that we’re not counting illegal votes,” Thomsen said.
The statewide recount began Thursday.
The state Elections Commission has ordered county elections officials to report their results by 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 12.
Editor’s note: This story was last updated at 4:21 p.m. Additional information will be added as WPR learns more.
Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2024, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.
