GSA will brief House and Senate committee leaders as it stalls transition
The General Services Administration says it will brief key House and Senate committee leaders and staff November 30 on GSA Administrator Emily Murphy's refusal to release funding and resources for President-elect Joe Biden's transition, but Democrats say they want the briefing tomorrow.
Monday was the deadline set by key members of the Democratic-led House Oversight and Reform and Appropriations committees and two subcommittees for Murphy to brief them about her ongoing refusal to grant the Biden-Harris transition team access to critical services.
"We cannot wait yet another week to obtain basic information about your refusal to make the ascertainment determination," wrote the officials in a Monday letter to Murphy.
Under law, Murphy must "ascertain" the winner of the election by signing a document in order to release millions of dollars in funding, office space and classified intelligence briefings to the Biden team. Murphy has not done so, even as top Republicans call for Mr. Biden to receive classified briefings and though every major news network called the race more than two weeks ago.
A House Democratic aide told CBS News the GSA's offer for a delayed briefing next week by someone other than Murphy is "not acceptable," and House Democrats are discussing their next steps.
The GSA said Deputy Administrator Allison Brigati will brief the top members of these committees, but only for 30 minutes, on Monday, November 30, as well as staffers on key Senate committees that same day. Democrats had asked that Murphy brief them herself.
"GSA sent its response to the respective Committees today. GSA's Deputy Administrator Allison Brigati will host a 30 minute briefing on Monday, November 30, with the four requesting House Committee Chairs and their Ranking Members," a GSA spokesperson said. "On Monday, November 30, GSA will also host an in-person-only briefing for Senate Appropriations Committee, Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee staff. Staff for the House Appropriations and Oversight Committees are invited to attend this in-person briefing as well."
Pressure is growing for Murphy, a Trump appointee, to ascertain Mr. Biden as the winner, pressure that is only sure to grow as states certify their election results ahead of the Electoral College vote on December 14.
Without GSA's ascertainment, Mr. Biden has no access to the more than $6 million in transition funding, so he's raising private funds for the endeavor. His advisers also have no formal access to current agency officials. But that hasn't stopped Mr. Biden from naming his national security team, which he did on Monday.