Jason Stein

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Madison — Green Party candidate Jill Stein will not appeal a judge's rejection of her lawsuit to force a hand recount of nearly 3 million presidential ballots in Wisconsin, clearing the way for machines to be used in the statewide effort beginning Thursday.

Also Wednesday, Stein filed another recount petition in Michigan and the Republican Party of Wisconsin filed a federal elections complaint against both Stein and Democrat Hillary Clinton. The complaint alleges that Stein — who received only a small share of the vote — is improperly fundraising to pay for a recount that primarily benefits Clinton, the second-place finisher behind GOP President-elect Donald Trump.

The fundraising amounts to improper coordination between the two campaigns, the complaint to the Federal Elections Commission alleges.

"Clinton stands as the only actor that would benefit from a recount taking place in Wisconsin or elsewhere," the complaint reads. "As outlined below, the Clinton campaign’s direct involvement in the recount process, which was announced well before the recount itself was paid for and finalized, demonstrates a clear link between the actions of the Stein campaign and the strategic goals of Hillary for America."

The complaint is based on the public actions and statements of the Clinton and Stein campaigns and not on any inside information.

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David Cobb, campaign manager for the Stein recount effort, dismissed the complaint as meritless in language similar to the critiques made of the recount itself.

“The recount effort is nonpartisan and Stein is not coordinating with any other campaign. Any allegations to the contrary are fabrications. The FEC complaint is nothing but a (public relations) stunt to push a false narrative that will ultimately have no impact on the recount in Wisconsin," Cobb said.

Critics have said the recount itself is likely to have no impact on the election's outcome.

The Clinton campaign, which had no reaction, has said it would not have sought a recount itself because it is very unlikely to change the winner. But Democratic officials said Clinton's campaign became involved in the process launched by Stein to protect the interests of their party's voters.

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It was not clear whether the state GOP complaint had any legal chance of succeeding, especially given the difficulty of getting the Federal Elections Commission to act on controversial matters. But Stein's own running mate, Ajamu Baraka, has questioned publicly whether it's the right course for the Green Party nominee to pursue the recount in Wisconsin and other states such as Pennsylvania and Michigan.

"I'm not in favor of the recount," Baraka told CNN Tuesday. "It would be seen as carrying the water for the Democrats."

Unlike the Wisconsin GOP, however, Baraka didn't characterize Stein's actions as illegal or unethical, instead saying they were unwise politically.

Margaret Flowers, the Green Party's Maryland Senate candidate, also has opposed her party's involvement in the recount in an open letter signed by some other party officials.

The Clinton campaign backed Stein's unsuccessful lawsuit in Dane County Circuit Court that sought to prohibit Wisconsin counties from using machines to help recount ballots cast on Nov. 8.

The Stein campaign said Wednesday that it would not appeal the ruling in that case because of the Dec. 13 deadline for a recount to finish.

"Our focus will be on verifying the vote on the ground and we urge all counties to follow the recommendation of the judge and conduct a hand recount, which she called the ‘gold standard,' " Margy Levinson, a spokeswoman for the Stein campaign, said Wednesday.

County clerks prepare for recount

On Tuesday, Dane County Circuit Judge Valerie Bailey-Rihn found there were good reasons to do a hand recount but no legal basis for her to mandate it. Many clerks are still choosing to do a hand recount.

With just minutes to spare Tuesday, Stein paid $3.5 million for the massive recount.

On Wednesday, Wisconsin Elections Commission head Mike Haas told county clerks on a web training that they should expect national attention and be ready to accommodate news media and campaign observers during the recount.

"We would expect more attention that you would normally receive," Haas told the clerks.