Federal court dismisses Trump campaign lawsuit to overturn Wisconsin presidential election results News
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Federal court dismisses Trump campaign lawsuit to overturn Wisconsin presidential election results

A federal judge of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin dismissed a lawsuit by President Donald Trump’s campaign against the Wisconsin Elections Commission on Saturday. The judge rejected the plaintiffs’ request that the Wisconsin presidential election results be declared void and that the Wisconsin legislature instead select the state’s ten electors.

This decision follows a month of largely unsuccessful legal actions by the Trump campaign, including a suit to disregard mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania that was denied certiorari by the US Supreme Court on December 11, in an attempt to tilt the election towards President Trump.

The plaintiffs argued, among other concerns, that absentee balloting in Wisconsin deviated from various legislated election procedures, and that such deviations violated President Trump’s constitutional rights to have electors appointed in a “lawful” manner. Defendants argued that the plaintiffs’ claims had no proof and that plaintiffs’ claims were also moot, as the plaintiffs waited until after the Wisconsin election results were certified to file suit.

Judge Brett Ludwig dismissed the plaintiffs’ suit with prejudice, although he did find plaintiffs’ case had merit for review. Noting that absentee balloting occurred without apparent issue in Wisconsin, that two recounts were successfully held, and that the Wisconsin governor certified the statewide election results on November 30, Judge Ludwig found it inappropriate for the plaintiffs to raise such concerns after the election results had been certified. Calling the case “extraordinary,” Judge Ludwig found that the plaintiffs’ case lost on the merits and granted a dismissal for the defendants.

Wisconsin’s electors are expected to vote for President-elect Joe Biden on December 14.

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