The United States General Services Administration chief Emily Murphy let President-elect Joe Biden know that he has been formally recognized as the apparent winner of the 2020 presidential election and would now be moving forward with transition proceedings.
This information effectively put an end to a very long standoff in which the Biden transition team made accusations against Murphy and her agency for retaining important transition resources needed for a smooth transition of power.
In Murphy’s letter to Biden, she writes, “Please know that I came to my decision independently, based on the law and available facts. I was never directly or indirectly pressured by any Executive Branch official—including those who work at the White House or GSA—with regard to the substance or timing of my decision. To be clear, I did not receive any direction to delay my determination.”
Murphy and the entire GSA have faced harsh criticism recently over the decision to delay recognizing Biden as president-elect. The Biden transition team went as far as to threaten legal action, accusing the GSA of putting national security at risk and hampering preparations to fight the coronavirus pandemic by refusing to provide support for the incoming administration.
According to Murphy, this recent decision was based on “developments involving legal challenges and certifications of election results.”
In a series of tweets, President Trump thanked Murphy for her efforts to handle the ascertainment process since Election Day.
“I want to thank Emily Murphy at GSA for her steadfast dedication and loyalty to our Country,” wrote the president. “She has been harassed, threatened, and abused – and I do not want to see this happen to her, her family, or employees of GSA. Our case STRONGLY continues, we will keep up the good fight, and I believe we will prevail!”
“Nevertheless,” he continued, “in the best interest of our Country, I am recommending that Emily and her team do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols, and have told my team to do the same.”
The Biden transition team said the GSA’s decision to ascertain Biden as president-elect would provide “the incoming administration with the resources and support necessary to carry out a smooth and peaceful transfer of power.”
“This final decision is a definitive administrative action to formally begin the transition process with federal agencies,” said the Biden-Harris team. “In the days ahead, transition officials will begin meeting with federal officials to discuss the pandemic response, have a full accounting of our national security interests, and gain complete understanding of the Trump administration’s efforts to hollow out government agencies.”
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