The head of the US government agency GSA refuses to make money and equipment available to the transition team of upcoming president Joe Biden.
That could further complicate the transfer of power, reports The Washington Post.
Biden’s transition team must prepare to take over government responsibility. The General Services Administration (GSA), which also deals with federal real estate, plays a vital role in this.
That service should give the election winner’s team access to things like office space, equipment and money to pay salaries. This involves millions of dollars.
However, according to the Washington Post, GSA top woman Emily Murphy, appointed by the Donald Trump administration, is making no move to prepare the necessary paperwork. President Trump insists he won the election and is going to court in several states.
It is unclear under what circumstances the GSA is willing to give Biden access to the necessary resources. The service could wait until the electoral college formally chooses the winner in December or until the legal battle is over.
A senior government official, who wished to remain anonymous, predicted in the paper that heads of government departments would not be talking to Biden’s team at the moment.
The setup of the GSA is unusual. When the media determine the winner of the election, the service usually agrees to do so within hours or days.