Until the General Services Administration determines Biden is the president-elect, his transition team cannot access government funds or communicate with federal agencies.
Former Republican White House officials and veterans of past presidential transition are calling for the government to begin the formal transfer of power from President Donald Trump to President-elect Joe Biden.
“While there will be legal disputes requiring adjudication, the outcome is sufficiently clear that the transition process must now begin,” the nonpartisan Center for Presidential Transition wrote in a letter exclusively obtained by POLITICO. The letter is signed by Democratic and Republican experts in transitions, including George W. Bush’s former chief of staff Josh Bolten and the former Republican Governor of Utah Mike Leavitt. The letter was also signed by Bill Clinton’s first chief of staff Thomas (Mack) McLarty and Barack Obama’s Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker.
“We urge the Trump administration to immediately begin the post-election transition process and the Biden team to take full advantage of the resources available under the Presidential Transition Act,” they wrote.
The letter raises the pressure on the General Services Administration, whose administrator, Emily Murphy, has resisted affirming that Biden won the election. In a statement released Saturday, the agency said, “an ascertainment has not yet been made. GSA and its Administrator will continue to abide by, and fulfill, all requirements under the law.” The agency did not comment further on Sunday.
Until Murphy ascertains that Biden is the president-elect, the Biden transition cannot access government funds or communicate with the federal agencies they will be staffing. Experts say that the delay could hinder the Biden effort. “Every day counts in a transition, this year more than any transition since 1932,” said David Marchick, the director of the Center for Presidential Transition.
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Former Republican White House officials and veterans of past presidential transitions are calling for the government to begin the formal transfer of power from President Donald Trump to President-elect Joe Bidenhttps://t.co/pdyMwLQNwQ
— POLITICO (@politico) November 8, 2020This is Emily Murphy, @GSAEmily. She is the Trump political appointee who is presently refusing to recognize Biden's victory and release funds for the transition to commence. She also helped cover for Trump's profiting off his DC hotel while POTUS. https://t.co/pFtQ1Vxqs6 pic.twitter.com/k0Dqd3JYVh
— Justin Hendrix #ProtectTheResults (@justinhendrix) November 9, 2020
People need to start making a lot of noise about this. https://t.co/TZSCGnNziP
— George Conway (@gtconway3d) November 9, 2020
Slot taken! Away we go! Be prepared to be sued @USGSA/@GSAEmily. We'll be going after every e-mail you write.@BradMossEsq
— Mark S. Zaid (@MarkSZaidEsq) November 9, 2020
A Trump appointee is refusing to sign a letter allowing Biden’s transition team to formally begin its work this week, another sign Trump has not acknowledged his loss and will disrupt the transfer of power.
via @Reinlwapo @OConnellPostbiz @jdawsey1 https://t.co/Wo34a49JYo
— Amy B Wang (@amybwang) November 9, 2020
A lesson in how America is mostly based on norms. A 1963 law says GSA releases these funds when there is "an apparent winner," because back then we always assumed responsible professionals won't really dispute what "apparent" means. Instead we have @GSAEmily refusing to do so. https://t.co/2DAuP221LA
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) November 9, 2020
#EmilyMurphyGSA #Trump appointee “declines to sign letter authorizing Biden transition.” Emily-people are dying. #Covid is winning right now. Please do the right thing & let the #BidenTransition team get to work. Our country would appreciate it. Thank you. https://t.co/KMYW90OAVe
— Olivia of Troye (@OliviaTroye) November 9, 2020
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