Michigan Appeals Court rejects second Trump lawsuit over election results

LANSING, Mich. (FOX 2) - The Michigan appeals court turned down an appeal Friday from President Donald Trump's campaign in a challenge to how absentee ballots were handled in Detroit and other issues.

In a brief order, the court said the lawsuit fails because Michigan's election results, including Joe Biden's 154,000-vote victory over Trump, were certified on Nov. 23, a week before the campaign filed an appellate brief.

The court said the president's only recourse was a recount, but that has passed, too.

“Because plaintiff failed to follow the clear law in Michigan relative to such matters, their action is moot,” Judge Stephen Borrello said in a 2-1 order.

Judge Patrick Meter disagreed, saying a three-judge panel should quickly hear the appeal.

“The issues are not moot because state electors have not yet been seated, the Electoral College has not yet been assembled and Congress has not yet convened to consider whether to exercise its powers under” the constitution, Meter said.

The Trump legal team spearheaded by his attorney Rudy Giuliani, have been barnstorming in various battleground states to raise awareness of claims of election fraud. 

On Wednesday numerous witnesses told their stories to a State House committee including Dominion Voter Systems IT contractor Melissa Carone who made bombshell claims and said she saw thousands of ballots re-fed multiple times after jams.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel on Thursday blasted the hearings saying despite the claims of fraud, no efforts were made to bring those stories to her office or the Wayne County Prosecutors Office. She added Giuliani should lose his law license for making claims of Detroit being a corrupt city, which she said was fueled by racial bigotry and not facts.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.