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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein spoke at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., on Sept. 21.
HARRISBURG, Pa. >> Green Party-backed voters dropped a court case tonight that had sought to force a statewide recount of Pennsylvania’s Nov. 8 presidential election, won by Republican Donald Trump, in what Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein had framed as an effort to explore whether voting machines and systems had been hacked and the election result manipulated.
The decision came two days before a court hearing was scheduled in the case. Saturday’s court filing to withdraw the case said the Green Party-backed voters who filed the case “are regular citizens of ordinary means” and cannot afford the $1 million bond ordered by the court by 5 p.m. Monday. However, Green Party-backed efforts to force recounts and analyze election software in scattered precincts were continuing.
Stein plans to make an announcement about the Pennsylvania recount Monday outside the Trump Tower in New York, aides said.
The court case had been part of an effort spearheaded by Stein to force recounts in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, three states with a history of backing Democrats for president that were narrowly and unexpectedly won by Trump over Democrat Hillary Clinton.
A recount began Thursday in Wisconsin, while a recount could begin next week in Michigan. Trump’s victory in Pennsylvania was particularly stunning: the state’s fifth-most electoral votes are a key stepping stone to the White House, and no Republican presidential candidate had captured the state since 1988.
Stein had said the purpose of Pennsylvania’s recount was to ensure “our votes are safe and secure,” considering hackers’ probing of election targets in other states and hackers’ accessing of the emails of the Democratic National Committee and several Clinton staffers. U.S. security officials have said they believe Russian hackers orchestrated the email hacks, something Russia has denied.
Stein’s lawyers, however, had offered no evidence of hacking in Pennsylvania’s election. They sought unsuccessfully in recent days to get various counties to allow a forensic examination of their election system software.
Lawyers for Trump and the state Republican Party argued there was no evidence, or even an allegation, that tampering with Pennsylvania’s voting systems had occurred. Further, Pennsylvania law does not allow a court-ordered recount, they argued, and a lawyer for the Green Party had acknowledged that the effort was without precedent in Pennsylvania.
The case also had threatened Pennsylvania’s ability to certify its presidential electors by the Dec. 13 federal deadline, Republican lawyers argued.
On Saturday, a GOP lawyer, Lawrence Tabas, said the case had been meant “solely for purposes to delay the Electoral College vote in Pennsylvania for President-Elect Trump.”
The state’s top elections official, Secretary of State Pedro Cortes, a Democrat, has said there was no evidence of any sort of cyberattacks or irregularities in the election. Any recount would change few votes, Cortes predicted.
As of Friday, Trump’s margin of victory in Pennsylvania was 49,000, or less than 1 percent, out of 6 million votes cast, according to state election officials. Final counts were outstanding in some counties, including heavily populated Allegheny County, but state and county officials did not expect any outstanding uncounted votes to change the outcome of the presidential election in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania’s automatic statewide recount trigger is 0.5 percent. Stein drew less than 1 percent of the votes cast.
She has just been offered a cabinet position with Trump, they didn’t say which position but most likely an announcement will come soon. Good job PE Trump in uniting all party lines to make America what it should be, one for all and all for one. #MAGA
Ambassador to Syria or Iran whatever Hillary doesn’t pick. Thank you for wasting the democrats money on the bogus recounts.
I agree with you we should send her and Hillary to these places, we need women to be the voice of reason here. It has been shown that the point of view that men av on how to handle these very volatile situations don’t work, maybe women can bring some reasoning to these places. Hopefully raiderDogs, Trump will take note of your suggestion and continues uniting America and the world. And those Democrats chose to waste their money on the recount, it’s the America way. #MAGA
You do know jusris, that women have no voice Syria and Iran right? Dog was yanking your chain. Still a good idea tho.
IRT meat: Maybe that’s the problem with Syria and Iran. I know that my mom was the voice of reason and that my dad would lead with emotion sometimes and it wasn’t always pleasant, if you know what I mean. Regardless though, I think with Trumps understanding, Stein will be a welcomed addition to his cabinet. It will at least be another point of view, maybe one with compassion and understanding. #MAGA
You are either being sarcastic or you are a male who has never traveled to these countries. If the latter, please educate your self before posting such an uneducated comment.
IRT livinginhawaii: What do you mean uneducated? You support the way these places treat women? My suggestion would be to break up their way of thinking and you perceived it as uneducated? Please educate me. #MAGA
Good strategy, buy Stein out!
Misleading. She has not given up. Stein has recalibrated her approach and will be seeking a recount in Federal court and at the same time pushing counties to recount in order to drive the votes below the mandatory .5% threshold. Do some research, folks. Stein is standing up for democracy, for the clean elections we desperately need for continuation of the value of one person, one vote.
There appears to be one Stein supporter left.
Trump has been more of an independent so hopefully he’ll bring parties together.
Trump is only interested in his plans to increase his own wealth. Why not? Most public officials do the same thing. Of couse, that isn’t corruption.
Why stop at Trump and most public officials, most Americans are only interested in increasing their own wealth/ needs. That’s why we are where we are in America. #MAGA
The Clintons already made theirs! “smh”
and tell me, Stein is not benefiting from the $6.9million for a recount? lol
The recount was a gimmick to raise funds for the Green Party, which will provide her with additional income as an officer of the organization. Survival for self> build a nest egg from donated funds. Chelsea is a good example tho she was on NBC payroll for over 3 years @ $600K per annum. She is Vice-Chair on one of the family’s charitable foundation @ $250K.
….does she return part of the 7 million dollars raised? OR ? Does she pocket the rest. From the get go, I had a gut feeling this was a Scam to raise money for her Green Party…… so prove me Wrong and return the MONEY!
I say don’t return the money, if these people were so willing to give up their money and they had the surplus of money to give up then they shouldn’t get it back. Good move on Steins part, I think she will prove to be a valuable member of Trumps cabinet based off this. She proved that she can see outside of the box. #MAGA
Mr Moi , the money will not be returned.
From her site:”If we raise more than what’s needed, the surplus will also go toward election integrity efforts and to promote voting system reform.”
What that involves only she knows. But, it’s clear as mud.
http://www.jill2016.com/
Another stunning LOSS for libs…a head imploding mind boggling kick_in_da_butt slap upside da head idiotic pounding in da sand rejection from within the Green Party to ITSELF!
Is Crooked Corrupt Idiotic hiLIARy going to concede now again or wait for Wis….or wait for both Mich to end?
#DemsTotalDisarray
January 20, 2017 #MAGA
You are correct, the embarrassment to Democrats is HUGE. But my biggest take from this is how smart Trump was to scoop up Stein for his cabinet, he does see the bigger picture in uniting America. He sees the value in grabbing someone from across the aisle and bringing her into his inner circle. Very interested in seeing the results of this. #MAGA
@ jusris can you provide a link on your “Trump was to scoop up stein for his cabinet” comment….can’t find anything on that.
Keoni,
You fell for that, really?
It’s called “man bites dog” pseudo news.
Lord Almighty God will get you jusris…not nice to fool moi
HHHHHHaaaaaaaaaa.
Stein will be recruited as a fundraiser for the Clinton Foundation.
Was Stein contending that with a recount she might come out ahead. If one cannot win, a recount is dictated.
Sorry, should be “isn’t dictated.”
There is NO WAY Stein will be in Trump’s cabinet, or anywhere else on Trump’s ticket.
GET REAL
So, the Liberals/Democrats lose again!
So its over.
Why can’t the paper put 2 and 2 together and state the obvious?
Lack of intellect, I see
Bbbbuutttt Bbuttttt. Bill told me he had it fixed , no way I would have let him have that bimbo , but he said ! , ! !
“Final counts were outstanding in some counties, including heavily populated Allegheny County . . . ” What???? Why?? The election was Nov 8!
They should lock her up, both of them.
Huma will be J if that happens…especially if in the same cell !!!!!!
Ambassador to North Korea or Somalia?
Libya is available.
Under the new “You Broke It You Bought It” policy, Hillary and Barry will be named Co-Ambassadors of Libya.