Time for Trump to put up or shut up about Wisconsin recount

The clock is ticking for President Donald Trump to formally request a recount of the election returns in Wisconsin. The question is, will he? Trump has baselessly lobbed allegations of voter fraud, and insisted he will request a recount, as he is allowed to do under state law. The last of Wisconsin’s 72 counties certified the result of the presidential election yesterday. That means Trump has until 5 o’clock tonight to officially request a recount. There may be nearly 8 million reasons not to. Under Wisconsin law, those who want a recount have to be within a certain percentage of the winner’s vote total, and has to pay for the recount himself. It is estimated a recount in Wisconsin would cost Trump $7.9 million. That money would have to be paid up front, before a recount could begin. However, it is unlikely that a potential recount would find enough votes necessary to overturn the result of the election. Joe Biden beat Trump by more than 20,000 votes in Wisconsin. In 2016, a similar recount netted Trump just 131 additional votes compared to the election night totals. If Trump is really convinced that there is widespread voter fraud, and that cost him Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes, he should put his money where his mouth is. If he doesn’t, he should stop repeating the claim that somehow the election was rigged and finally accept the results of the election.