Nicole Kirby looks over results during a statewide presidential election recount on Dec. 1 in Milwaukee. The first candidate-driven statewide recount of a presidential election in 16 years began Thursday in Wisconsin. | AP Photo Trump super PAC files federal lawsuit to block Wisconsin recount

A pro-Donald Trump super PAC filed a federal lawsuit on Friday to halt Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein's recount effort in Wisconsin.

The lawsuit, filed by Great America PAC, argues that Stein's effort does not meet the Supreme Court's Equal Protection requirements and that the recount would be too costly to Wisconsin. Stein initiated the lawsuit on Tuesday and paid a hefty $3.5 million fee.


"Jill Stein is clearly not entitled under statute to a recount and for the State Board to allow it would be a massive waste of taxpayer resources in violation of the plain reading of the statute — Wisconsinites shouldn’t pay millions to line Jill Stein’s pockets," Great America PAC co-chairman Eric Beach said.

Great America PAC, in a statement, contends that Stein's lawsuit "argues that Wisconsin law for recounts is unconstitutional because it fails the Supreme Court’s test for Equal Protection in the recount process established in Bush v Gore, because the State Board itself has expressed doubt it could complete the process in time, and because doing so could deny Wisconsin voters their vote in the Electoral College."

The federal lawsuit came two days after the Wisconsin Republican Party filed a Federal Election Commission complaint attempting to block Stein's recount there. Party officials said that FEC complaint had nothing to do with the Great America lawsuit. In response, Stein's lead recount lawyer, Matthew Brinckerhoff, said Stein planned to fight the lawsuit.

"The Jill Stein Campaign plans to intervene and join the Wisconsin Elections Commission in defending 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," Brinckerhoff said in a statement.

The lawsuit came the same day that Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette filed a lawsuit in his state attempting to block Stein's recount push there. Stein is also looking to initiate a recount in Pennsylvania. All three states where Stein is trying to start a recount are ones Trump narrowly won in the Nov. 8 presidential election but Stein argues that her drive for recounts is to make sure the results weren't tampered with and not to flip the election to Hillary Clinton.