Trump’s appointee at the General Services Administration is refusing to certify Biden’s election victory and grant the incoming president’s team access to necessary resources as they prepare to start fighting the virus on January 20.
Here’s why that’s problematic:
The Trump Administration’s General Services Administration Is Blocking President-Elect Biden’s Team From Access to Public Health Agencies, Information About the Virus and Transition Funding
NO ACCESS TO PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCIES:
Until The GSA Certifies Biden’s Victory, The Biden Administration Cannot Communicate With Federal Agencies It Needs To Staff, Including Public Health Agencies Like The C.D.C., H.H.S. And F.D.A. “Until [GSA Administrator Emily] Murphy ascertains that Biden is the president-elect, the Biden transition cannot access government funds or communicate with the federal agencies they will be staffing. Experts say that the delay could hinder the Biden effort. ‘Every day counts in a transition, this year more than any transition since 1932,’ said David Marchick, the director of the Center for Presidential Transition.” [Politico, 11/8/20]
- The Biden Administration Needs To Communicate With Federal Agencies To Identify Critical Decisions Going Forward. “The GSA call is most important because it will green-light the agency review process, during which Biden officials gain access to federal agencies to begin collecting information from each department. Any delay there would hinder their ability to start working with current employees to identify critical decisions that will need to be made and quick actions that can be taken in each agency.” [Politico, 11/7/20]
NO ACCESS TO HEALTH OFFICIALS:
Once The GSA Certifies The Election, The Incoming Administration Gets Access To Government Officials — Like Those Managing The Coronavirus Crisis. “[Transition officials] get access to senior officials, both political appointees of the outgoing administration and career civil servants, who relay an agency’s ongoing priorities and projects, upcoming deadlines, problem areas and risks. The federal government is a $4.5 trillion operation, and while the Biden team is not new to government, the access is critical, experts said.” [Washington Post, 11/8/20]
NO ACCESS TO BRIEFINGS ON THE VIRUS:
The Biden Administration Cannot Obtain Briefing Books Until The GSA Ascertains The Results Of The Election, Including Updates About The Spread Of The Virus. “GSA would need to ascertain a winner before Biden could send teams into the agencies, obtain briefing books prepared mainly by career civil servants and receive access to certain facilities and funds.” [Government Executive, 11/6/20]
NO ACCESS TO FUNDING:
The GSA Must Certify The Election’s Results To Release Millions In Transition Funding. “Back in early September, the Trump administration agreed to three memoranda of understanding with the Biden transition team, as laid out by the Presidential Transition Act. They were signed by the General Services Administration, the Department of Justice, and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. At the time, $9.62 million was allocated to the Biden transition team for pre-election services, which the team continues to receive. Ascertainment would trigger the release of an additional $9.9 million in funds for post-election services, which includes $6.3 million for the incoming administration, $1 million for appointee orientation and training, and $2.6 million for outgoing services.” [CNN, 11/9/20]
- The Funding Is Required For Salaries And Administrative Support. “By declaring the ‘apparent winner’ of a presidential election, the GSA administrator releases computer systems and money for salaries and administrative support for the mammoth undertaking of setting up a new government — $9.9 million this year.” [Washington Post, 11/8/20]