MADISON, Wis.— The Trump campaign claims they will file a lawsuit over the Wisconsin recount either Monday or Tuesday next week.
A Trump campaign official told Spectrum News that they were planning to challenge the recount results in court, which appears to have been confirmed by a Twitter post from the president.
The president tweeted Saturday afternoon that the Wisconsin recount wasn’t about catching mistakes but “finding people who have voted illegally" -- A TWEET LABELED BY TWITTER AS DISPUTED.
In Dane County, tabulators started the day finished with 83% of the votes counted. Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell said they expect to finish on Sunday.
Timing will be everything: The Wisconsin Elections Commission will certify the election on Tuesday, December 1.
Generally, courts have not intervened when an election is already certified.
A lawsuit would not be news to Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell. McDonell tells Spectrum News he knows the Trump campaign wanted the recount as an exhibit in a court case.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission issued an order on November 19 to recount more than 800,000 ballots cast in Milwaukee County and Dane Counties at President Donald Trump’s request.
Democrat Joe Biden received 577,455 votes in those two counties compared with 213,157 for Trump. Biden won Wisconsin by 20,608 votes, based on canvassed results submitted by Dane and Milwaukee Counties.
Milwaukee County completed its recount of presidential ballots Friday, finding only small changes in vote totals for one of the two Wisconsin counties recounting ballots.
Editor's Note: This story has been edited to remove president Trump's tweet LABELED DISPUTED BY TWITTER and add context surrounding the recount in Wisconsin.