DETROIT – President Donald Trump’s campaign said it will file a lawsuit in federal court in Grand Rapids.
While we have yet to see the filing, the campaign alleges equal protection violations and wants a federal judge to step in and stop the county and state canvassing boards from certifying the election.
It is also attaching 100 sworn affidavits claiming irregularities in Wayne County.
READ: Legal action by Trump campaign and GOP unlikely to impact Michigan election results
READ: Here’s what comes next in Michigan’s ballot-counting process
“The complaint is based on affidavits showing that designated challengers were denied meaningful observation as required by law, that our poll watchers suffered illegal and official intimidation, interference, harassment,” said Trump campaign general counsel Matt Morgan.
The lawsuit is separate from the one the campaign filed in the Court of Claims in Lansing. That lawsuit, asking for a stop to the counting process, was not successful.
Election law experts said that while the campaign is within its rights to file these lawsuits, the likelihood of success in this federal suit is not great either.
“It’s completely possible that there is a reasonable explanation for the things these affiants witnessed,” said Matthew Cross with Plunkett Cooney. “We’re really just going to have to see how this plays out, but ultimately, the likelihood of actual success and defining success as changing the result of the election is very low.”
What we know about GOP challenge to Michigan’s election results
Republicans locally and around the country claimed early this week that they have hundreds of sworn statements alleging irregularities and illegal activity at Detroit’s TCF Center.
Among those making the claims was Republican National Committee chair and Michigan native Ronna McDaniel who detailed the unfounded claims in a press conference Monday alongside White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany.
“We have a whistleblower and now we have 131 affidavits talking about irregularities and problems that were happening in Detroit. That’s just Michigan,” McDaniel said.