Start Counting. Keep Counting. Stop Counting? Michigan's election recount hearing set to start in Detroit. Will judge change course?  Tresa Baldas (@TBaldas) December 7, 2016Hallroom chatter in Michigan recount: Some think the judge has been cornered & he ll have to end the recount; some say he ll keep pushing.U.S. District Judge Mark Goldsmith is ready to take the bench in #Michiganrecount. And we are   OFF!  Tresa Baldas (@TBaldas) December 7, 2016Michigan recount Schuette s lawyer John Bursch up first: 6th circuit couldn t have been more clear, this is case about michigan election lawSchuette lawyer talking about Bush v Gore case; says US Supreme Ct. clear on this: federal courts must defer to state in election matters.Judge just asked AG atty John Bursch: has the Mich. Supreme Court ruled on this? his answer: not yet. state high court hasn t heard case.AG atty Bursch:  This is the law of Michigan, there is no dispute about that.  Unless, of course, Stein appeals to MI Supreme Ct.AG atty Bursch shifts to Jill Stein, and whether she s an  aggrieved party.  Appeals ct. says no, so do Republicans & Trump.AG atty Bursch: purpose of recount law is to change the outcome of the election. Judge:  how do we know that? AG atty Bursch: state's top election official says goal of recount law is to change outcome, not to see if there's a problem;  Tresa Baldas (@TBaldas) December 7, 2016AG atty Bursch: court has already held that it's not right to make taxpayers pay millions for a recount that's not justified  Tresa Baldas (@TBaldas) December 7, 2016AG atty Bursch: Stein s  entire purpose is to audit the Michigan system.  That s not what our recount law is for.Michigan recount hearing: Judge: how do we know that Stein only got 1%; what if she got more but fraud took place?Judge to AG atty: what if Stein got 20% of the vote; is that enough for her to say she was aggrieved?MI Rep Party atty now up: the michigan courts have ruled, he says, urges judge to end the recount.MI Rep Party Atty: State court has concluded: "it's very unlikely that 2 million mistakes have been made"  Tresa Baldas (@TBaldas) December 7, 2016Judge continues to press: is there any court case that says recounts must produce a change in the outcome in order for them to be allowed?Michigan Rep. Atty: recounts should be used to figure out who should have won the election.  Aggrieved means someone who has been harmed Mich. Rep. Atty: Aggrieved does not apply to someone who came in 4th place. #Michiganrecount law is being misused by Jill Stein.  Tresa Baldas (@TBaldas) December 7, 2016 This candidate is not aggrieved in any sense of the word  Mich. Rep Atty says of Jill Stein; urged judge to dissolve ruling & end recount.Pro-recount atty up:   It s quite possible that a recount (in Michigan) would reveal a winner.  Not Stein. she doesn t expect that.Pro-recount atty: Michigan recount law isn t just about changing outcome; can also be used to show fraud in election system.Judge Goldsmith discusses cost of recount to taxpayers. Asks Stein atty what she thinks of that? Answer:the law  explicitly  allows for that.Stein atty notes #Michiganrecount battle not over.  the state court decision is not final.  going back to appeals court.Judge asks Stein atty: What do you want now? I ordered immediate recount. What s your issue now ? notes there s no federal right to recount.Stein atty:  There is no way of knowing whether fraud occurred without conducting the recount. Judge Goldsmith to Stein atty: Why are you coming to court now w hen you knew about the deficiencies beforehand?  Tresa Baldas (@TBaldas) December 7, 2016Judge Goldsmith to Stein atty: you could have addressed Michigan's vulnerable voting machines months ago. Why didn't you? why now?  Tresa Baldas (@TBaldas) December 7, 2016Judge to Stein atty: is there anything about the recount that will tell us whether there was cyber attack or if machinery malfunctioned?Stein atty: the recount can raise clear flags about whether something went wrong, triggering a forensic audit.Stein atty just ended. says Michigan law allows for recounts, and that it should be continued. AG atty is now up, in a rebuttal.Judge Goldsmith asks about voting machine problems in Detroit; says he s read about problems. AG atty says not as many as being reported.AG atty: the court of appeals has spoken. there is no right for stein to have a recount. that s the end of the story.AG atty to Judge Goldsmith: you might be the 1st judge in history to order recount for a candidate who took 1% of the vote.  Tresa Baldas (@TBaldas) December 7, 2016Recount shows so far: 10 counties have been recounting; 66 total vote change between Clinton & Trump so far.  Tresa Baldas (@TBaldas) December 7, 2016Election lawyer:  I have not known of anyone to come in and say i believe the system has been compromised or hacked Stein atty: It is way to early to say whether any fraud can be ruled out.Stein atty: Until the Michigan State Supreme Court weighs in, the recount must continue as ordered by the federal court.MI AG atty: "dont' become the first federal court in the country to order a recount   for a candidate who lost by 2 million votes."  Tresa Baldas (@TBaldas) December 7, 2016MI AG atty seeks bond: it's costing $500,000 a day for recount. it's not right to impose that kind of "irreparable harm" on the citizens.  Tresa Baldas (@TBaldas) December 7, 2016Stein atty: Sec of state doesn t want recount, so don t trust $5 million cost or other numbers being thrown by folks who just don t want it.Stein atty: No bond should be set.Judge Goldsmith orders recess for 20 minutes. he will issue a written order or rule from the bench:  I understand the time sensitivity Judge Goldsmith will issue a written opinion on whether to let Michigan presidential election recount continue, or end. Stay tuned.  Tresa Baldas (@TBaldas) December 7, 2016 