It took a full 20 days, but GSA Chief Emily Murphy FINALLY decided to DO. HER. DAMN. JOB. and signed off on the authorization to President-Elect Joe Biden, thereby freeing up funds and access to allow the Biden/Harris administration to actually start doing the real work of getting up to date on everything going on in the White House and across the various branches of government.
FINALLY.
Also, no one pay attention to the hundreds of shredding machines and smoking trash cans on the White House front lawn or in the various offices of the government that are currently occupied by Trump cronies.
NEW: GSA has informed president-elect Joe Biden the administration is ready to begin the formal transition process, according to a letter from administrator Emily Murphy sent Monday afternoon and obtained by CNN.
— Jeff Zeleny (@jeffzeleny) November 23, 2020
Here is the letter
#Breaking: GSA’s Emily Murphy signs off and says the transition can begin, per @KristenhCNN pic.twitter.com/S6YKKQBrQR
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) November 23, 2020
She made a point of covering for Donald Trump:
"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. To be clear, I did not receive any direction to delay my determination."
Trump kind of conceded -- as much as he ever will -- and took credit for the ascertainment.
I want to thank Emily Murphy at GSA for her steadfast dedication and loyalty to our Country. She has been harassed, threatened, and abused – and I do not want to see this happen to her, her family, or employees of GSA. Our case STRONGLY continues, we will keep up the good...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 23, 2020
...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
Although there is zero chance that he wrote those tweets. No spelling errors. No miscapitalized words, except "Country", anyway.
TWITTER REJOICED:
Useless @GSAEmily finally signed off on the transition. She wrote a long letter about how trump didn’t influence her. Sure Jan.
— Molly Jong-Fast🏡 (@MollyJongFast) November 23, 2020
Hi there, @GSAEmily.
Your letter was asinine.
1) The 2000 election was not remotely an apt precedent
2) This election did not hinge on one state
3) The margin was not small
You refused to do your job. You are not a victim. This letter further reinforces your incompetence. pic.twitter.com/YjRw9YSq44— The Hoarse Whisperer (@TheRealHoarse) November 23, 2020
So, @GSAEmily folded before the Republican Senators did...
— Susan Glasser (@sbg1) November 23, 2020
Now that @GSAEmily has *finally* done her duty and released funds and kicked off the transition process, i want to make sure you guys understand something that will happen on Jan 20. Joe Biden will become Donald Trump's landlord: https://t.co/Vf6YLdjPNS pic.twitter.com/53PMzXHGRa
— Clara Jeffery (@ClaraJeffery) November 23, 2020
The letter’s worth a read. It may be the most unprofessional thing I’ve seen an agency head put on letterhead. She makes this about her. She makes excuses. She never says that she ascertains the apparent winner. But she releases funds as though she has, so there’s that at least. https://t.co/4vjePwgOZk
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) November 23, 2020
The Biden team responded in a statement minutes ago:
The GSA Administrator has ascertained President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris as the apparent winners of the election, providing the incoming Administration with the resources and support necessary to carry out a smooth and peaceful transfer of power. Today’s 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. This final decision is a definitive administrative action to formally begin the transition process with federal agencies. 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.
