Green Party candidate Jill Stein late on Saturday vowed to bring her fight for a recount of votes cast in Pennsylvania in the U.S. presidential election to federal court, after a State judge ordered her campaign to post a $1 million bond.
“The Stein campaign will continue to fight for a State-wide recount in Pennsylvania,” Jonathan Abady, lead counsel to Ms. Stein’s recount efforts, said in a statement.
The Stein campaign said it will file for emergency relief in the Pennsylvania effort in federal court on Monday, “demanding a State-wide recount on constitutional grounds.”
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High bond amount
The bond was set by the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania a day after representatives of President-elect Donald Trump requested a $10 million bond, according to court papers.
The court gave the petitioners until 5 p.m. local time (2200 GMT) on Monday to post the bond, but said it could modify the amount if shown good cause. Instead, Ms. Stein’s campaign withdrew.
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“Petitioners are regular citizens of ordinary means. They cannot afford to post the $1,000,000 bond required by the court,” wrote attorney Lawrence Otter, informing the court of the decision to withdraw. Ms. Stein, who garnered about one per cent of the presidential vote on Nov. 8, has also sought recounts in Michigan and Wisconsin. — Reuters