There are multiple breaking stories right now regarding the judicial challenges brought by the Trump campaign and associated parties but none of it is good news for the President.
First up, Arizona, where the campaign dropped its lawsuit which was waiting for a ruling from the judge:
JUST IN: Trump campaign drops Arizona lawsuit acknowledging it's moot
— Ana Cabrera (@AnaCabrera) November 13, 2020
According to reports, they dropped the lawsuit because “the result in the state couldn’t be overcome”:
JUST IN: Lawyers for the Trump campaign have dropped a lawsuit seeking a review of all ballots cast in Arizona on Election Day after realizing the result in the state couldn't be overcome https://t.co/wgA7IImpzF
— CNN (@CNN) November 13, 2020
This was the lawsuit that alleged in the original filing that the use of “Sharpies” led to ballots getting rejected:
Trump campaign tells judge in Maricopa Co., Arizona, on Friday that "tabulation of votes statewide has rendered unnecessary a judicial ruling as to the presidential electors.”
The lawsuit alleged that problems with the use of Sharpies caused some ballots to be wrongly rejected.
— NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) November 13, 2020
From the filing:
“Since the close of yesterday’s hearing, the tabulation of votes statewide has rendered unnecessary a judicial ruling as to the presidential electors,” the Trump campaign wrote in a filing.
— Ana Cabrera (@AnaCabrera) November 13, 2020
Next up is Michigan where a judge denied an injunction sought by Trump supporters to delay certification of votes in Wayne County:
BREAKING and DEVELOPING: Michigan Judge Denies Injunction, Setting Aside Trump Supporters' Conspiracy Theories About Detroit https://t.co/QcAkJd0Cr8 via @lawcrimenews pic.twitter.com/3CGtAJFv3x
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) November 13, 2020
This judge ruled, “it would be an unprecedented exercise of judicial activism for this Court to stop the certification process of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers”:
"It would be an unprecedented exercise of judicial activism for this Court to stop the certification process of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers."
Read a Michigan judge's ruling ruling denying Trump supporters an injunction in the updated story: https://t.co/QcAkJd0Cr8 pic.twitter.com/fkMIRTg2Zf
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) November 13, 2020
The judge also called the plaintiffs’ evidence of fraud and irregularities “incorrect and not credible”:
"No formal challenges were filed. However, sinister, fraudulent motives were ascribed to the process and the City of Detroit. Plaintiffs' interpretation of events is incorrect and not credible."
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) November 13, 2020
And in Pennsylvania, a Republican lawsuit seeking to challenge the ballot receipt deadline was rejected:
?BREAKING: Third Circuit REJECTS Republican lawsuit challenging Pennsylvania ballot receipt deadline.
Per Court "we do so with commitment to a proposition indisputable in our democratic process: that the lawfully cast vote of every citizen must count."https://t.co/u5JSgphiXF
— Marc E. Elias (@marceelias) November 13, 2020
There is a second case related to this matter “pending before SCOTUS” that’s not affected by this decision:
Third Circuit throws out challenge to late-arriving mail-in ballots in PA, holding that private citizens lack Article III standing to bring such a case; and that, in the alternative, equitable principles wouldn't support relief even if claim had merit:https://t.co/0zGTEt5AL3
— Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) November 13, 2020
PA Republicans' direct appeal of the PA Supreme Court decision is still pending before #SCOTUS, and isn't affected by this ruling. But it's a helpful discussion from a unanimous, diverse panel of why, as a general rule, federal courts can and should stay out of these disputes.
— Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) November 13, 2020
The Pennsylvania Secretary of State also announced she “will not be ordering a recount and recanvass of the election results”:
INBOX:
Pennsylvania Secretary of State Boockvar "has determined that she will not be ordering a recount and recanvass of the election returns in the counties, as no statewide candidate was defeated by one-half of one percent or less of the votes cast." pic.twitter.com/t6S0GuH2Pu
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) November 13, 2020
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