Democrats push Trump administration to stop blocking Biden transition resources
In a public letter to General Services Administration's (GSA) Emily Murphy released Monday night, three House Democrats, all of whom chair committees, sought an explanation for what they deemed the GSA’s “stunning refusal to follow the law and acknowledge President-elect Joe Biden’s decisive victory.”
“By failing to ascertain Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ resounding victory, you are undermining the urgent need for a prompt and effective transition of power in the midst of a global pandemic that must be focused on the safety and well-being of our citizens,” wrote Reps. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-N.J., Gerry Connolly, D-Va., and Dina Titus, D-Nev.
Traditionally, the GSA recognizes a candidate that has clearly won the election, allowing the winning ticket's team to access a variety of resources available to aid the transition process, including $6.3 million in Congressionally-appropriated funds -- but so far, Murphy, who was appointed by Trump in 2017, has made no such determination.
The Biden transition team also believes that the time has come for the GSA to "promptly ascertain Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as president-elect and vice president-elect," adding, in a call with reporters Monday night, that if the GSA refuses to do so, a variety of options are on the table, including the possibility of legal action.