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The Green Party has dropped a lawsuit to force a recount in Pennsylvania

The Green Party has dropped a lawsuit to force a recount in Pennsylvania

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The campaign could not pay a court-ordered bond

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Green Party Presidential Candidate Jill Stein Holds Rally In New York City
Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

After raising almost $7 million to fund a recount in three principle battleground states, Green Party-backed voters have dropped a court case that would have forced a state-wide recount in Pennsylvania, citing their inability to pay a court-ordered bond.

A court hearing had been scheduled for Monday. The Green Party-backed voters who brought the suit indicated that they "are regular citizens of ordinary means," and as a result could not afford to pay the $1 million bond as ordered by the court before the 5PM deadline on Monday. According to The New York Times, Stein has indicated that she has "further plans" for the state, and will make an announcement on Monday.

The $1 million bond was due at 5PM on Monday

On Twitter, Green Party candidate Jill Stein vented about the necessity to raise millions of dollars in order to check election results:

The suit was part of Stein’s efforts to check the integrity of the election after suggestions that the results should be carefully examined to rule out tampering.

Stein initially raised $2.5 million via a crowdfunding page on her website, and has steadily raised the fundraising goal to cover filing fees and the use of attorneys in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. Presently, the fundraising goal has been increased to $9.5 million, with a total of $6.9 million raised thus far. It is not immediately clear if the money Stein has raised in her campaign could have been used to pay this bond.

the fundraising goal has been increased to $9.5 million, with a total of $6.9 million raised thus far

The efforts to recount the vote in Wisconsin began on Thursday, while efforts are expected to begin next week in Michigan. Recounts will continue in some precincts in Pennsylvania. Last week, officials from the Clinton campaign said that they would be assisting recount efforts, even though they did not expect the results to change. The Trump campaign has filed suits in all three states to block the recount.