Paul Egan

Detroit Free Press

LANSING -- President-elect Donald Trump filed a lawsuit Friday in the Michigan Court of Appeals, seeking to block a recount of Michigan's presidential vote, hours after a deadlocked State Board of Canvassers gave the green light for the recount to start as early as Tuesday, but more likely on Wednesday.

Trump's court action followed a similar suit filed Friday morning by Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette, who asked the Court of Appeals to send his case directly to the Michigan Supreme Court, to expedite the appeal process.

Trump, through Lansing attorneys Gary Gordon and John Pirich and other attorneys, said Green Party candidate Jill Stein's petition for a recount is technically deficient and because she received only 1.07% of the vote in Michigan, she "has no possible opportunity to earn Michigan's electoral votes or become president," but "seeks to thrust a costly and time-consuming recount upon Michigan citizens."

►Deadlock: Board vote means Michigan presidential recount may proceed

►Related: Trump supporters file suit to stop Wisconsin recount

►Related: Presidential recount kicks off in Wisconsin

►Michigan's Board of Canvassers: Who are they?

►Related: Mich. AG Schuette moves to halt presidential recount

►Related: What we know now about recount preparations

"Stein urges the board to expend tens of millions of dollars on a wild goose chase that even Stein cannot identify," the lawsuit alleges.

Stein paid a recount filing fee of close to $1 million. State officials have estimated the actual cost of the recount might reach or exceed $5 million. It's not clear where Trump got the "tens of millions" cost estimate.

In a news release issued earlier Friday in response to legal challenges Trump has brought against recounts she is also seeking in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, as well as his Michigan challenge before the Board of State Canvassers, Stein vowed to fight "tooth and nail" for the recounts.

“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.

Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @paulegan4.