While vowing to continue election legal challenges, President Donald Trump has directed his administration to start the official transition process for former Vice President Joe Biden.
...fight, and I believe we will prevail! Nevertheless, 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.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 23, 2020
On Monday afternoon, U.S. General Services Administrator Emily Murphy wrote a letter to Biden announcing she would make transition resources available to his team.
"As the Administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration, I have the ability under the Presidential Transition Act of 1963, as amended, to make certain post-election resources and services available to assist in the event of a presidential transition...I take this role seriously and, because of recent developments involving legal challenges and certifications of election results, am transmitting this letter today to make those resources and services available to you," she wrote to Biden.
"As you know, the GSA Administrator does not pick or certify the winner of a presidential election. Instead, the GSA Administrator's role under the Act is extremely narrow: to make resources and services available in connection with a presidential transition," she continued. "The actual winner of the presidential election will be determined by the electoral process detailed in the Constitution."
More than $7 million in GSA funds will now be available to the Biden team.
According to Murphy, her decision to delay resources to the Biden team until legal challenges over the election became more clear was met with threats and intimidation.
"I have dedicated much of my adult life to public service, and I have always strived to do what is right. 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 of 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 continued. "I did, however, receive threats online, by phone, and by mail directed at my safety, my family, my staff, and even my pets in an effort to coerce me into making this determination prematurely. Even in the face of thousands of threats, I always remained committed to upholding the law."
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