Federal judge denies Stein’s push for Pa. recount

A federal judge has denied Green Party candidate Jill Stein’s long-shot request for a recount of Pennsylvania’s election results.

The federal lawsuit filed by Stein’s attorneys last week appears to have been her last shot at getting a limited recount and forensic audit of the state’s voting machines, which they alleged were vulnerable to hacking.

The ruling issued by U.S. District Court Judge Paul Diamond comes one day before the deadline for Pennsylvania to certify its election results.

“Dr. Stein has repeatedly stated that she has sought a Pennsylvania recount to ensure that every vote counts,” Diamond wrote. “Granting her later than last minute request for relief, however, could well ensure that no Pennsylvania vote counts.”

Computer science experts called by both sides during a Friday hearing said that even the limited recount Stein and her lawyers requested would take well past tomorrow’s certification deadline. Diamond said that could put Pennsylvania’s 20 electoral votes at risk and by extension, the choices of roughly 6 million Pennsylvania voters.

“Such a result would be both outrageous and completely unnecessary; as I have found, suspicion of a ‘hacked’ Pennsylvania election borders on the irrational,” Diamond wrote.

In a statement, Stein said she was disapointed with the ruling. She did not indicate whether she plans to appeal.

“Despite citizens across this state stepping up and demanding their right to verify the vote, every obstacle imaginable – legal, bureaucratic and political – has been thrown in their face,” Stein said. “Pennsylvanians’ constitutional and civil rights to have their voices heard and their votes counted have been stripped from right under them.”

The Pennsylvania Electoral College votes will be cast in Harrisburg at noon on December 19th.