Dr. Jill Stein, the Green Party’s presidential candidate in the 2016 election who got 1 percent of the popular vote and zero electoral votes, last week stunned the political world and even her running mate, Ajamu Baraka, with the announcement that she would seek a vote recount in three states—Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania—with slim voter margins between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton. Stein said the effort was to “protect the integrity of the vote,” hinting that it was possible that Trump’s victory in these states might have been the result of rigging or fraud. Millions were raised to fund the recounts.
Stein targeted Pennsylvania first on her recount list, taking her fight to state court. Over the weekend, she announced she’ll seek redress in federal court instead. Her lawyers, she said, will be making her case in federal courts in Wisconsin and Michigan as well.
Stein’s recount moves have caused a firestorm of reaction. What’s really behind her actions? Leid Stories listeners debate this and other salient questions relating to the Great Recount 2016.