Demand GSA Administrator Murphy Stop Obstructing Transfer of Power
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On Saturday, November 7th, the nation’s major news desks called the 2020 presidential and vice presidential races for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. While it took several days post-election for local boards of elections to count mail-in ballots, it was soon clear that Biden and Harris had not only won the “blue wall” states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania but also flipped Arizona and Georgia, securing 290 Electoral College votes for Biden and Harris. The total well exceeds the 270 votes required to win the presidency.
In the face of defeat, Donald Trump and his administration are refusing to concede the election, making unfounded claims of voter fraud and pursuing flimsy legal cases. While Trump’s behavior is no surprise, it obstructs an effective transfer of power over to the Biden administration. Typically, the presidential transition process begins hours after a winner is declared, allowing the incoming administration ample time to take control of the executive branch of our government. The Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) begins the official transition process by filing paperwork, releasing nearly $10 million in Congressionally-allocated transitions funding to the new administration, and providing incoming officials access to everything from office space to government email addresses. However, Trump-appointed GSA Administrator Emily Murphy has yet to file transition paperwork and is refusing to provide a timeline for doing so.
The American public has spoken. We have elected Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Congress now has a responsibility to ensure a peaceful and productive transfer of power. Demand House Democrats hold emergency hearings with Administrator Murphy and have her answer for failing to proceed with the transition.
