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A US federal agency has determined that Joe Biden is the “apparent winner” of the November 3 elections, paving the way for the start of the transition from the Donald Trump administration.
President Trump, who had refused to grant the election, said on Twitter on Monday that he was instructing his team to cooperate in the transition, but vowed to continue his fight to remain as president of the United States.
The federal agency that must approve the presidential transition, the General Services Administration (GSA), told President-elect Joe Biden on Monday that the transfer process can formally begin.
“I take this role seriously, and due to recent developments involving legal challenges and election results certifications, I am forwarding this letter today so that those resources and services are available to you,” wrote GSA Director Emily Murphy in a letter to Mr. Biden.
I want to thank Emily Murphy of GSA for her steadfast dedication and loyalty to our country. She has been harassed, threatened, and abused, and I don’t want this to happen to her, her family, or GSA employees. Our case continues STRONG, we will continue with the good …
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
November 23, 2020
… fight, and I believe we will prevail! However, in the best interest of our country, I recommend that Emily and her team do whatever it takes regarding the initial protocols, and I have told my team to do the same.
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
November 23, 2020
‘Initial protocols’
Trump wrote on Twitter that he was recommending that Ms Murphy and her team “do whatever it takes regarding the initial protocols, and they have told my team to do the same.”
Politicians and business executives have lobbied the little-known federal agency to acknowledge the results of the November 3 election and free up millions of dollars in federal funding, office space, and briefings for Biden’s team.
The GSA had said that Ms Murphy, who was appointed to her job by Trump in 2017, would “determine” 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,” Ms Murphy wrote.
Trump has repeatedly falsely claimed that he won the race and has spent weeks offering unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud that have repeatedly failed to gain ground in court.
The Presidential Transition Act of 1963 does not set a firm deadline for the GSA to act, but the agency has historically acted once media organizations call out a winner, which happened on November 7.
Mr. Biden will take office on January 20 after winning the election with enough state-by-state electoral votes to ensure the Electoral College victory. The Democrat leads the national popular vote by more than 6 million votes. Trump’s fellow Republicans have slowly parted ways with the president in recent days to urge the transition process to begin. – Reuters
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