President Donald Trump said that he wants a recount in Wisconsin after losing the state by about 20,500 votes. But if he wants the recount he'll have to pony up almost $8 million.
The Associated Press reported Monday that the price tag is "four times higher than what the recount cost four years ago, a cost increase that elections officials said was driven by expenses related to conducting a recount during the coronavirus pandemic."
To make matters more difficult, Trump needs to come up with the money and pay for it by 5 p.m. Wednesday at the latest. If the state is smart they'll ask for the money upfront.
Trump is notorious for not paying municipalities for the security costs he incurred while campaigning in their cities and towns. As of this summer, Trump racked up over $2 million in unpaid security costs to police departments that he has refused to pay over the past several years. He maintains that the Secret Service pays for it, but when it's a campaign event, the USSS doesn't foot the bill, the campaign has to.
“We still have not received any indication that there will or will not be a recount,” said chief election official Meagan Wolfe. “But we want Wisconsin’s voters to know we are ready.”