Washington, Nov 25 (EFE).- Presidential hopeful Jill Stein’s fund-raising push to pay for recounts in three rust-belt states that were crucial to Donald Trump’s surprise victory over Hillary Clinton in the Nov. 8 election has already exceeded its original target, the Green Party said Friday.
After initially asking for $2.5 million, the recount effort has so far collected more than $4 million, Stein’s campaign Web site said.
The money on hand is sufficient to pay the $1.1 million needed to request a recount in Wisconsin and the campaign plans to submit a formal application on Friday, the last day to ask for a review in the Badger State.
Stein also wants recounts in Michigan – where Trump leads Clinton by some 10,000 votes as the tabulation continues – and Pennsylvania.
To cover the entire cost of filing fees, attorneys and observers, the Greens have set a new fund-raising target of $7 million.
Winning Pennsylvania and Wisconsin assured the Republican of exceeding the 270 electoral votes needed to secure the presidency, even though Clinton won the nationwide popular vote by a margin of more than 2 million, according to the latest figures.
Stein, who received a little more than 1 percent of the popular vote, denies that she is trying to overturn the election in favor of Democratic candidate Clinton.
Pointing to what she described as evidence of “anomalies” in the voting in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, Stein said that worries over whether the election results are reliable “need to be investigated before the 2016 presidential election is certified.”
All three of those states voted for Democrat Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012.
Clinton’s camp has remained mum on the recount initiative.