U.S. agency tells Biden he can formally begin transition

[webfact 79,218]

U.S. agency tells Biden he can formally begin transition

By Andrea Shalal and David Shepardson

 

U.S. President-elect Joe Biden listens as he holds a videoconference meeting with members of the U.S Conference of Mayors at his transition headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., November 23, 2020. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. federal agency that must sign off on the presidential transition told President-elect Joe Biden on Monday that he can formally begin the hand-over process.

 

"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," General Services Administration chief Emily Murphy wrote in a letter to Biden.

 

U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter that he was recommending that Murphy and her team "do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols, and have told my team to do the same."

 

Lawmakers and business executives have put pressure on the little-known federal agency to recognize the Nov. 3 election results and free up millions of dollars in federal funds, office space and briefings for Biden's team.

 

The GSA had said Murphy, who was appointed to her job by Trump in 2017, would "ascertain" or formally approve, the transition when the winner was clear.

 

"Contrary to media reports and insinuations, my decision was not made out of fear or favoritism," Murphy wrote.

 

Trump has repeatedly falsely claimed he won the race and has spent weeks offering baseless claims of widespread voter fraud that have repeatedly failed to gain traction in the courts.

 

The Presidential Transition Act of 1963 provides no firm deadline for the GSA to act, but the agency has historically acted once media organizations call a winner, which happened on Nov. 7.

 

Biden is due to take office on Jan. 20 after having won the election with enough state-by-state electoral votes to secure the Electoral College win. The Democrat leads in the national popular vote by more than 6 million. Trump's fellow Republicans have slowly broken from the president in recent days to urge the transition process to start.

 

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal and David Shepardson; Writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Tom Brown, Peter Cooney and Howard Goller)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-11-24

 

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[OneMoreFarang 26,660]

Does that mean the loser does now recognize that he is the loser? Amazing.

http://loser.com/

 

 

 

[Chomper Higgot 35,670]

Murphy has questions to answer, her not showing up for a Congressional hearing has simply delayed those questions being asked and perhaps made it more certain that she’ll face investigation.

 

 

[fishtank 4,044]

Seeing as how Biden won by a distance why shouldn't he begin the transition.

[Dumbastheycome 5,698]

Is Trump now aware that his petulance has created unnecessary problems  for many people who may  face legal issues?

[simple1 19,748]

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

Trump has repeatedly falsely claimed he won the race and has spent weeks offering baseless claims of widespread voter fraud that have repeatedly failed to gain traction in the courts.

 

The question is will his base accept defeat - Answer; No. In the meantime trump is making every effort to sour the Biden presidency to the detriment of the American people he is sworn to protect. Unfortunately the vindictiveness and attacks on the foundations of good governance will continue for the coming two months under trump.

[Thailand 18,641]

About time,  Murphy will probably lose her $170,000 a year job in the near future. 

[webfact 79,218]

Trump finally gives his administration green light to proceed with Biden transition

By Jeff Mason and Trevor Hunnicutt

 

Demonstrators in a car caravan demand the Board of State Canvassers to certify the results of the election in Lansing, Michigan, U.S., November 23, 2020. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook

 

WASHINGTON/WILMINGTON, Del. (Reuters) -After weeks of defiance, President Donald Trump on Monday allowed officials to proceed with a transition to President-elect Joe Biden, giving his Democratic rival access to briefings and funding even as he vowed to persist with efforts to fight the election results.

 

Trump, a Republican, has alleged widespread voter fraud in the Nov. 3 election without providing evidence. Although he has not acknowledged Biden's victory, his announcement on Monday was the closest he has come to admitting defeat.

 

The General Services Administration, which is the federal agency that must sign off on presidential transitions, told Biden on Monday that he could formally begin the hand-over process. GSA Administrator Emily Murphy said in a letter that Biden would now have access to resources that had been denied to him because of the legal challenges seeking to overturn his win.

 

That announcement came shortly after Michigan officials certified Biden as the victor in their state, making Trump's legal efforts to change the election outcome even more unlikely to succeed.

 

Trump and his advisers said he would continue to pursue legal avenues, but his tweet served as a sign that even the White House understood it was getting close to time to move on.

 

"Our case STRONGLY continues, we will keep up the good ... 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," Trump said in a tweet.

 

A Trump adviser painted the move as similar to both candidates getting briefed during the campaign, and said the president's tweet was not a concession.

 

A statement by the Biden transition said meetings would begin with federal officials on Washington's response to the coronavirus pandemic, along with discussions of national security issues.

 

The move by the GSA means Biden's team will now have federal funds and an official office to conduct his transition until he takes office on Jan. 20. It also paves the way for Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to receive regular national security briefings that Trump also gets.

 

Two Trump administration officials told Reuters the Biden agency review teams could begin interacting with Trump agency officials as soon as Tuesday.

 

Earlier on Monday, Biden named the top members of his foreign policy team, tapping trusted aide Antony Blinken to head the State Department and former U.S. senator, secretary of state and 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry to serve as his special climate envoy.

 

(Reporting by Jeff Mason Trevor Hunnicutt, Jeff Mason, Andrea Shalal, Michael Martina, James Oliphant, Julia Harte, Patricia Zengerle, Susan Heavey and David Morgan; Editing by Howard Goller and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-11-24

 

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[Tug 21,582]

Well it’s about time also Biden has picked some top notch folks to his cabinet he’s building a good TEAM to get the ship of state back on course!

[Lacessit 22,931]

37 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Given it appears that the fat lady is about to sing, I look forward to seeing CNN and the BBC etc pointing out everything that Biden/ Harris do wrong in the next 4 years, and the investigations into Hunter Biden.

 

As a wise person once said, be careful what you wish for.

There will always be armchair critics of any administration. IMO the difference will be Biden/Harris will be appointing professionals to run the country, not the corrupt lapdogs that were the hallmark of Trump's tenure.

 

[Scott 16,141]

Comment on moderation removed.   It is, by the way, the Biden administration.  

 

[Sujo 17,003]

Trump says he told murphy to proceed. Murphy, in her letter, says she got no pressure from anyone on what to do.

 

Those two statements cannot be true.

[thaibeachlovers 33,000]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Does that mean the loser does now recognize that he is the loser? Amazing.

http://loser.com/

 

 

 

Doubt it.

[webfact 79,218]

Trump finally gives his administration green light to proceed with Biden transition

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1193598-us-agency-tells-biden-he-can-formally-begin transition/?do=findComment&comment=16025438

 

[Lacessit 22,931]

1 hour ago, Sujo said:

Trump says he told murphy to proceed. Murphy, in her letter, says she got no pressure from anyone on what to do.

 

Those two statements cannot be true.

The alternative scenario is senior Republicans accepted the situation could not go on, and took matters out of Trump's hands. Trump's letter was just putting a brave face on the subject.