Biden Transition Gets Govt OK After Trump Out Of Options

[Shabibilicious]

Biden transition gets govt OK after Trump out of options

ZEKE MILLER, DAVID EGGERT and COLLEEN LONG

Mon, November 23, 2020, 12:36 PM EST

 

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government recognized President-elect Joe Biden as the “apparent winner” of the Nov. 3 election on Monday, formally starting the transition of power after President Donald Trump spent weeks testing the boundaries of American democracy. He relented after suffering yet more legal and procedural defeats in his seemingly futile effort to overturn the election with baseless claims of fraud.

Trump still refused to concede and vowed to continue to fight in court after General Services Administrator Emily Murphy gave the green light for Biden to coordinate with federal agencies ahead of his Jan. 20 inauguration. But Trump did tweet that he was directing his team to cooperate on the transition.

Monday’s fast-moving series of events seemed to let much of the air out of Trump’s frantic efforts to undermine the will of the people in what has amounted to a weekslong stress test for American democracy. But Trump’s attempts to foment a crisis of confidence in the political system and the fairness of U.S. elections haven’t ended and are likely to persist well beyond his lame-duck presidency.

Murphy, explaining her decision, cited "recent developments involving legal challenges and certifications of election results.”

She acted after Michigan on Monday certified Biden’s victory in the battleground state, and a federal judge in Pennsylvania tossed a Trump campaign lawsuit on Saturday seeking to prevent certification in that state.

It also comes as an increasing number of Republicans were publicly acknowledging Biden’s victory, after weeks of tolerating Trump’s baseless claims of fraud. The president had grown increasingly frustrated with the flailing tactics of his legal team.

In recent days, senior Trump aides including chief of staff Mark Meadows and White House counsel Pat Cipollone had also encouraged him to allow the transition to begin, telling the president he didn’t need to concede but could no longer justify withholding support to the Biden transition.

Yohannes Abraham, executive director of the Biden transition, said the decision “is a needed step to begin tackling the challenges facing our nation, including getting the pandemic under control and our economy back on track.”

Murphy, a Trump appointee, has faced bipartisan criticism for failing to begin the transition process sooner, preventing Biden’s team from working with career agency officials on plans for his administration. The delay denied Biden access to highly classified national security briefings and hindered his team's ability to begin drawing up its own plans to respond to the raging coronavirus pandemic.

Murphy insisted she acted on her own.

“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,” she wrote in a letter to Biden.

Trump tweeted moments after Murphy's decision: “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.”

Max Stier, president and CEO of the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service, criticized the delay but said Biden’s team would be able to overcome it.

“Unfortunately, every day lost to the delayed ascertainment was a missed opportunity for the outgoing administration to help President-elect Joe Biden prepare to meet our country’s greatest challenges," he said. "The good news is that the president-elect and his team are the most prepared and best equipped of any incoming administration in recent memory.”

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said the GSA action “is probably the closest thing to a concession that President Trump could issue.″ Noting that the nation “faces multiple crises that demand an orderly transition,″ Schumer urged Democrats and Republicans to “unite together for a smooth and peaceful transition that will benefit America.″

Murphy’s action came just 90 minutes after Michigan election officials certified Biden’s 154,000-vote victory in the state. The Board of State Canvassers, which has two Republicans and two Democrats, confirmed the results on a 3-0 vote with one GOP abstention. Trump and his allies had hoped to block the vote to allow time for an audit of ballots in Wayne County, where Trump has claimed without evidence that he was the victim of fraud. Biden crushed the president by more than 330,000 votes there.

Some Trump allies had expressed hope that state lawmakers could intervene in selecting Republican electors in states that do not certify. That long-shot bid is no longer possible in Michigan.

“The people of Michigan have spoken. President-elect Biden won the State of Michigan by more than 154,000 votes, and he will be our next president on January 20th,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, said, adding it’s “time to put this election behind us.”

Trump was increasingly frustrated by his legal team, led by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, whose erratic public performances drew bipartisan mockery in recent weeks. Still, the legal challenges were expected to continue, as Trump seeks to keep his supporters on his side and keep his options open for opportuntities post-presidency.

In Pennsylvania on Saturday, a conservative Republican judge shot down the Trump campaign’s biggest legal effort in the state with a scathing ruling that questioned why he was supposed to disenfranchise 7 million voters with no evidence to back their claims and an inept legal argument at best.

But the lawyers still hope to block the state’s certification, quickly appealing to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, which ordered lawyers to file a brief Monday but did not agree to hear oral arguments.

The campaign, in its filings, asked for urgent consideration so it could challenge the state election results before they are certified next month. If not, they will seek to decertify them, the filings said.

Biden won Pennsylvania by more than 80,000 votes.

Pennsylvania county election boards voted Monday, the state deadline, on whether to certify election results to the Department of State. The boards in two populous counties split along party lines, with majority Democrats in both places voting to certify. After all counties have sent certified results to Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar, she must then tabulate, compute and canvass votes for all races. The law requires her to perform that task quickly but does not set a specific deadline.

In Wisconsin, a recount in the state’s two largest liberal counties moved into its fourth day, with election officials in Milwaukee County complaining that Trump observers were slowing down the process with frequent challenges. Trump’s hope of reversing Biden’s victory there depends on disqualifying thousands of absentee ballots —- including the in-person absentee ballot cast by one of Trump’s own campaign attorneys in Dane County.

___

Associated Press writers Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia, Jonathan Lemire in New York, Mark Scolforo in Harrisburg, Pa., Christina A. Cassidy in Atlanta and John Flesher in Traverse City, Mich., contributed to this report.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/despite-trumps-prod-mich-consider-173644849.html

 

GO RV, then BV

[Shabibilicious]

US agency ascertains Biden as winner, lets transition begin

MATTHEW DALY, ZEKE MILLER and MARY CLARE JALONICK

Mon, November 23, 2020, 1:47 PM EST

 

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The General Services Administration ascertained Monday that President-elect Joe Biden is the “apparent winner” of the Nov. 3 election, clearing the way for the start of the transition from President Donald Trump’s administration and allowing Biden to coordinate with federal agencies on plans for taking over on Jan. 20.

Trump, who had refused to concede the election, said in a tweet that he is directing his team to cooperate on the transition but is vowing to keep up the fight.

Administrator Emily Murphy made the determination after Trump efforts to subvert the vote failed across battleground states, citing, “recent developments involving legal challenges and certifications of election results.” Michigan certified Biden’s victory Monday, and a federal judge in Pennsylvania tossed a Trump campaign lawsuit on Saturday seeking to prevent certification in that state.

Yohannes Abraham, the executive director of the Biden transition, said in a statement that the decision “is a needed step to begin tackling the challenges facing our nation, including getting the pandemic under control and our economy back on track.”

He added: “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.”

Murphy, a Trump appointee, had faced bipartisan criticism for failing to begin the transition process sooner, preventing Biden’s team from working with career agency officials on plans for his administration, including in critical national security and public health areas.

“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,” Murphy wrote in a letter to Biden.

Trump tweeted shortly after her letter was made public: “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.”

Pressure had been mounting on Murphy as an increasing number of Republicans, national security experts and business leaders said it was time for that process to move forward.

Retiring Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander, who has repeatedly called for the transition to begin, released a new statement Monday saying that Trump should “put the country first” and help Biden’s administration succeed.

“When you are in public life, people remember the last thing you do,” Alexander said.

Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio on Monday called for Murphy to release money and staffing needed for the transition. Portman, a senior member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, also said Biden should receive high-level briefings on national security and the coronavirus vaccine distribution plan.

Alexander and Portman, who have both aligned themselves with Trump, joined a growing number of Republican officials who in recent days have urged Trump to begin the transition immediately. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., also urged a smooth transition, saying in a statement Monday that “at some point, the 2020 election must end.”

Meanwhile, more than 160 business leaders asked Murphy to immediately acknowledge Biden as president-elect and begin the transition to a new administration. “Withholding resources and vital information from an incoming administration puts the public and economic health and security of America at risk,″ the business leaders said in an open letter to Murphy.

Separately, more than 100 Republican former national security officials — including former Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge, former CIA Director Michael Hayden and former Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte — said in a statement that Trump’s refusal to concede and allow for an orderly transition “constitutes a serious threat” to America’s democratic process. The officials signing the letter worked under four Republican presidents, including Trump.

The statement called on “Republican leaders — especially those in Congress — to publicly demand that President Trump cease his anti-democratic assault on the integrity of the presidential election.”

Trump had publicly refused to accept defeat and launched a series of losing court battles across the country making baseless claims of widespread voter fraud and seeking to overturn the election results.

Murphy missed a deadline on Monday set by House Democrats to brief lawmakers about the delay in beginning the transition, which is usually a routine step between the election and the inauguration. A spokeswoman for the GSA said that a deputy administrator would instead hold two separate briefings for House and Senate committees on Nov. 30.

In response, the Democratic chairs of four committees and subcommittees said they could reschedule the meeting for Tuesday, but no later.

“We cannot wait yet another week to obtain basic information about your refusal to make the ascertainment determination,” the Democrats said in a letter to Murphy. “Every additional day that is wasted is a day that the safety, health, and well-being of the American people is imperiled as the incoming Biden-Harris administration is blocked from fully preparing for the coronavirus pandemic, our nation’s dire economic crisis, and our national security.”

Portman said it was “only prudent” for GSA to begin the transition process immediately.

“Donald Trump is our president until Jan. 20, 2021, but in the likely event that Joe Biden becomes our next president, it is in the national interest that the transition is seamless and that America is ready on Day One of a new administration for the challenges we face,″ Portman wrote in an op-ed calling for the transition to begin.

Murphy's ascertainment will free up money for the transition and clear the way for Biden’s team to begin placing transition personnel at federal agencies. Trump administration officials had said they would not give Biden the classified presidential daily briefing on intelligence matters until the GSA makes the ascertainment official.

“Now that GSA Administrator Emily Murphy has fulfilled her duty and ascertained the election results, the formal presidential transition can begin in full force,” said Max Stier, president and CEO of the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service. “Unfortunately, every day lost to the delayed ascertainment was a missed opportunity for the outgoing administration to help President-elect Joe Biden prepare to meet our country’s greatest challenges. The good news is that the president-elect and his team are the most prepared and best equipped of any incoming administration in recent memory.”

Among those signing the letter from business leaders were Jon Gray, president of the Blackstone private equity firm; Robert Bakish, president and CEO of ViacomCBS Inc.; Henry Kravis, the co-chief executive of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., another private equity giant; David Solomon, CEO at Goldman Sachs; and George H. Walker, CEO of the investment firm Neuberger Berman and a second cousin to former President George W. Bush.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/gop-senator-business-leaders-urge-184723895.html

 

GO RV, then BV

[coorslite21]

A logical move....no concession....

 

Looking for some game changing information very soon......it would be a real travesty if Biden is sworn in and after the fact it is learned he is an illegitimate President.....    CL

 

[Shabibilicious]

11 minutes ago, coorslite21 said:

A logical move....no concession....

 

Looking for some game changing information very soon......it would be a real travesty if Biden is sworn in and after the fact it is learned he is an illegitimate President.....    CL

 

 

Pretty sure that is exactly what Trump's play will be.....He will never concede, for conceding to him is to show weakness, and to keep his rabid base intact, he needs to maintain the victim facade.  And while he moves on with his bully pulpit to Newmax, OANN or a startup network of his own making....the business of running our country will be taken over by grownups.  As always, just my opinion.

 

GO RV, then BV

[Johnny Dinar]

15 minutes ago, coorslite21 said:

A logical move....no concession....

 

Looking for some game changing information very soon......it would be a real travesty if Biden is sworn in and after the fact it is learned he is an illegitimate President.....    CL

 

 

I think he continues to raise money for his debt... Go read his donation site. The majority of money is not going to his defense fund... 

[MyLadiesDaddy]

1 hour ago, Shabibilicious said:

agency ascertains Biden as winner, lets transition begin

Good thing the Constitution doesn't give three letter agencies the authority to say whose POTUS. 

 

 

27 minutes ago, Shabibilicious said:

 

Pretty sure that is exactly what Trump's play will be.....He will never concede, for conceding to him is to show weakness, and to keep his rabid base intact, he needs to maintain the victim facade.  And while he moves on with his bully pulpit to Newmax, OANN or a startup network of his own making....the business of running our country will be taken over by grownups.  As always, just my opinion.

 

GO RV, then BV

You realize that you just called every Trump supporter on this site "RABID"?

 

And as far as the Democratic Communist party members being "Grown Ups" then you haven't been paying attention to their 4 plus year temper tantrum.  

 

[nstoolman1]

Why would someone concede when they have exhausted all the avenues for a win?

In case you have been a sleep, there haven't been any grownups in D.C. for 25 years.

[coorslite21]

58 minutes ago, Shabibilicious said:

 

Pretty sure that is exactly what Trump's play will be.....He will never concede, for conceding to him is to show weakness, and to keep his rabid base intact, he needs to maintain the victim facade.  And while he moves on with his bully pulpit to Newmax, OANN or a startup network of his own making....the business of running our country will be taken over by grownups.  As always, just my opinion.

 

GO RV, then BV

 

CNN is for sale....Trump grabs that....depletes Fox and others of their pro Trump talent.....the possibilities are endless....and 73 million captivated and devout viewers....     CL

[Shabibilicious]

13 minutes ago, coorslite21 said:

 

CNN is for sale....Trump grabs that....depletes Fox and others of their pro Trump talent.....the possibilities are endless....and 73 million captivated and devout viewers....     CL

 

Fine by me....truth always floats to the top....in the case of this election, truth rose to the top by 6 million plus votes, and Republicans down ballot still had a field day in the win column....tells an honest person everything they need to know about Trump, the man, the pOTUS.  As always, just my opinion.

 

GO RV, then BV  

Edited November 24, 2020 by Shabibilicious

[coorslite21]

1 minute ago, Shabibilicious said:

 

Fine by me....truth always floats to the top....in the case of this election, truth rose to the top by 6 million plus votes, and Republicans down ballot still had a field day in the win column....tells an honest person everything they need to know about Trump, the man, the pOTUS.  As always, just my opinion.

 

GO RV, then BV  

Still so much to be sorted out......As always, just my opinion.

CL

[Shabibilicious]

3 minutes ago, coorslite21 said:

Still so much to be sorted out......As always, just my opinion.

CL

 

Yes there is....and now that the Biden transition team is involved, all parties can get on the same page....particularly with respect to the pandemic, and the millions of hurting American citizens.

 

GO RV, then BV

[coorslite21]

6 minutes ago, Shabibilicious said:

 

Yes there is....and now that the Biden transition team is involved, all parties can get on the same page....particularly with respect to the pandemic, and the millions of hurting American citizens.

 

GO RV, then BV

 

Yes....that too...

Seems Trump has it on a fast track at this point....not sure Joe should screw with it....

And whether it's Trump....the Governors.....Fauci ....or "what ifs" for Biden....pretty hard to blame any of them for the unprecedented mess the virus caused...

Dealing with anything unknown is always a crapshoot..    CL

[Shabibilicious]

1 hour ago, ladyGrace'sDaddy said:

 

You realize that you just called every Trump supporter on this site "RABID"?

 

 

The base on the whole....not each supporter individually. 

 

GO RV, then BV 

[Shabibilicious]

1 minute ago, coorslite21 said:

 

Yes....that too...

Seems Trump has it on a fast track at this point....not sure Joe should screw with it....

And whether it's Trump....the Governors.....Fauci ....or "what ifs" for Biden....pretty hard to blame any of them for the unprecedented mess the virus caused...

Dealing with anything unknown is always a crapshoot..    CL

 

"crapshoot" is a perfect word for the pandemic situation in these United States of America.  As always, just my opinion.

 

GO RV, then BV

[markb57]

4 hours ago, Shabibilicious said:

 

The base on the whole....not each supporter individually. 

 

GO RV, then BV 

Then *** for tat, I pray all democrats and their families come down with raging covid and die painfully. There, how's that for a blanket statement

[Shabibilicious]

5 minutes ago, markb57 said:

Then *** for tat, I pray all democrats and their families come down with raging covid and die painfully. There, how's that for a blanket statement

 

Seems like a misguided prayer for any Christian to make.....but to each their own.  

 

GO RV, then BV

[markb57]

Nah, I'm sure he's ok with it. Hell needs to be filled anyways

[Shabibilicious]

2 minutes ago, markb57 said:

Nah, I'm sure he's ok with it. Hell needs to be filled anyways

 

he or He?  

 

GO RV, then BV

[NoviceInvestor]

Are the election results “a fait accompli?” 🤔

[Shabibilicious]

4 minutes ago, NoviceInvestor said:

Are the election results “a fait accompli?” 🤔

 

As Donald's legal challenges keep getting shot down....it appears more and more likely that that is the case.

 

GO RV, then BV