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Stein stands to benefit from losing recount effort

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Green Party candidate Dr. Jill Stein’s efforts to force a recount of the presidential race in three states where she admittedly doesn’t think the result would change has led to questions about her motives and criticism that she’s just trying to raise her profile and fatten her own coffers.

Some questions and answers about Stein’s recount efforts in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, where Republican Donald Trump narrowly defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton:

WHAT DOES STEIN SAY?

Stein maintains the recounts aren’t about trying to make Clinton president, but about instilling confidence in the results in the face of unsubstantiated claims of potential security breaches.

“This is about ensuring that all votes are counted and that voters can trust the system. We will not give into legal intimidation and bureaucratic obstruction,” Stein said Monday.

She suggested again, without evidence, she thinks the vote totals in the states were suspicious and should be re-tabulated. Her camp cites a higher-than-usual number of ballots — about 84,000 — in Michigan with no recorded vote for president.

The critics say that’s not surprising given the unpopularity of Trump and Clinton.

WHAT DO STEIN’S CRITICS SAY?

The loudest critics are Trump supporters, who argue Stein is secretly working with Clinton’s campaign in a destined-to-fail attempt to steal the election. The Wisconsin Republican Party filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission alleging the recount amounts to illegal coordination with Clinton. Stein’s campaign denied the coordination claim.

Stein’s critics also argue her true motivation is to raise money and build a donor database that can be tapped later by her or others in the Green Party. Trump on Sunday called the recount, “Just a Stein scam to raise money!” His supporters voiced their displeasure during Stein’s news conference Monday outside Trump Tower.

WHO IS JILL STEIN?

Stein, 66, is a retired physician who began working as a political activist for environmental causes in the 1990s. She was born in Illinois but has lived in Massachusetts since attending Harvard College and later Harvard Medical School, from which she graduated in 1979.

Stein was also the Green Party’s candidate for president in 2012. She also lost races for Massachusetts governor in 2002 and 2010, state representative in 2004 and Massachusetts secretary of state in 2006.

HOW MUCH IS IT COSTING STEIN?

Stein has paid about $4.5 million for the recounts in Wisconsin and Michigan, so far. She will be refunded, or billed, for any changes to the $3.5 million she paid in advance in Wisconsin based on initial estimates from election clerks. Stein has also hired lawyers to fight legal battles in all three states.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST STATES?

Wisconsin is billing the entire cost of the recount to Stein’s campaign. Michigan’s Republican secretary of state, Ruth Johnson, said the recount could cost $5 million, though Stein is only responsible for the nearly $1 million she spent when filing for the recount. Officials estimate that a Pennsylvania recount would cost about $500,000.

WHAT DOES STEIN HAVE TO GAIN?

She’s raised about twice as much money for the recount than she did during her bid for the presidency.

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