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Judge blocks recount effort

A federal judge has blocked a Green Party-backed effort to recount paper ballots from Pennsylvania's presidential election and inspect paperless election systems for any evidence of hacking. U.S. District Judge Paul Diamond made the ruling on Monday.

Green Party-backed lawyers argued that it's possible computer hackers changed the election outcome and Pennsylvania's heavy use of paperless machines make it a prime target. Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein also contends Pennsylvania has erected unconstitutional barriers to a recount. Republican Donald Trump and state lawyers countered that there's no evidence of hacking.

The lawsuit is part of a broader effort by Stein to recount votes in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, states where Trump narrowly beat Democrat Hillary Clinton. The Wisconsin recount was expected to conclude Monday.

With about 95 percent of the votes recounted as of Sunday, Clinton had gained 25 votes on Trump but still trailed by about 22,000.

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