While the Trump legal team still continues to make inroads in the case against massive voter fraud in the recent US Elections, General Services Administration Chief Emily Murphy is already making resources for transition available to Biden in the event that he is declared the winner - but not without revealing that she received threats forcing her to do so.
GSA Administrator Emily Murphy detailed on Monday the kinds of threats she received so she would approve Biden's presidential transition "prematurely," Breitbart reported.
She said that while no one in the White House or anybody in President Trump's team forced her to "delay" the transition process, she was threatened and forced to start the presidential transition process and make the necessary resources available - even while the Electoral College hasn't pronounced a winner yet.
"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 said in a letter notifying Joe Biden of the transition process.
"I did, however, receive threats online, by phone, and by mail directed at my safety, my family, my staff, and even my pets in an effort to coerce me into making this determination prematurely," Murphy continued.
Murphy was also on the receiving end of media outrage. CNN's Jake Tapper, for example, said her "actions" -referring to her refusal to acknowledge Biden's win, which is still being contested by lawsuits- is a matter of "life and death."
Tapper said Murphy's decision "could very well hamper the Biden team's ability to deal with the pandemic when they take over." In other words, Tapper is using COVID-19 as a reason why Murphy should ascertain Biden even while the electoral process hasn't declared a winner yet
President Donald Trump, responding to Murphy's announcement, thanked her for her "steadfast dedication and loyalty to our Country" despite the harassment, threats, and abuse she has received. He added that he does not want Murphy, her family, and the GSA to suffer the things she was threatened with.
The President also said that while he has recommended actions regarding the "initial protocols," he is still going to "keep up the good fight" for election integrity and "will prevail!"
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
Murphy explicitly said in her letter that the GSA Administrator does not and cannot "pick or certify the winner of a presidential election." What the GSA Administrator does is make the resources and services needed for a presidential transition available. Further, she said actual President-elect can only be determined by the electoral process as specified in the US Constitution.
The GSA Administrator's decision makes $6,300,000 available to Biden and his team, for use in the transition process. It also makes an additional $1,000,000 available for orientation sessions and a transition directory. Biden and his team, however, will have to comply with some requirements demanding transparency and accountability in order to access the GSA's funds and services.
