On Monday (November 23), GSA Administrator Emily Murphy sent a letter to Biden approving transition resources for her. In her letter, she made it clear that she, her family, and even her pets have received threats from various sources to make premature decisions.
In the letter, she states, “I have dedicated most of my adult life to public service, and I have always tried to do the right thing. Please note that I make my decisions independently based on the law and the available facts. I have never been pressured, directly or indirectly, by any administration (including those in the White House or GSA who have concerns) as to the content or timing of my decisions. To be clear, I have not received any instructions to delay my decision.”
She continued, “However, I have received security threats against me, my family, my employees, and even my pets online, by phone, and by email to coerce me into making this decision prematurely.”
“Even in the face of thousands of threats, I remain committed to upholding the law,” Murphy wrote.
Trump later tweeted, “I want to thank GSA’s Emily Murphy for her unwavering dedication and loyalty to our country. She has been harassed, threatened and bullied – I don’t want to see that happen to her, her family or GSA employees.”
Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik tweeted, “White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, FBI, DOJ, why aren’t we detaining people who harass and threaten federal General Services Administration (GSA) employees?”
Source: Murphy even under pressure from death threats
The Chronicle reported on Nov. 10 that the Joe Biden campaign tried to push for GSA approval of the transfer of presidential power, but the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) refused. The GSA said the transfer of power has not yet been finalized.
“(The transfer of power) has not yet been determined,” A GSA spokesman told The Epoch Times on the morning of Nov. 9 that the GSA and the Administrator will continue to act in full compliance with the law.
The agency said GSA Administrator Emily Murphy will initiate the transition only “when the winner is clear in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Constitution.
Democrats in Congress and the Biden campaign have expressed their anger and frustration with Murphy. Murphy, 47, is a lawyer and longtime government employee.
On November 19, CNN reported that sources say Murphy is facing increasing pressure, even death threats, and is in a difficult position.
A friend and former colleague of Murphy’s told CNN, “She (Murphy) definitely feels like she’s in a difficult situation. She’s scared on multiple levels. It’s a scary situation.”
“Emilie is a consummate professional with high ethical standards, but she is also a very cautious attorney who is in a very difficult position, in a position where the law and priorities are unclear,” The source said.
The friend added, “As someone who has truly sworn an oath of allegiance to the Constitution of the United States and the laws that govern her position, she is performing what she believes is an honest duty.”
Trump campaign lawyers also threatened
Not only has Murphy been harassed and threatened, but so has the Trump campaign’s lawyer.
The English-language Chronicle reports that Linda Kerns, the attorney who led the Trump campaign’s challenge to the Pennsylvania election results, previously complained in federal court that she received an abusive voicemail message from a Kirkland & Ellis attorney. Kerns said the message “violated professional standards of conduct in any way.”
In response, Kirkland & Ellis attorney Daniel Donovan said he thought the call was “rude and inappropriate” and disagreed with Coons’ characterization.
He said it was a partner at the firm “acting in his personal capacity, unilaterally and without the knowledge or authorization of the firm.
Coons, a lawyer for the Trump team, has allegedly been subjected to various forms of harassment and is now under official protection, according to a Nov. 18 filing that said she “has been threatened with harm to the extent that the police and U.S. Marshals have had to intervene to protect her safety.
She wrote on Nov. 16 that she “has been subjected to constant harassment in the form of abusive emails, phone calls, threats of physical and financial harm, and even charges of treason – all because she is representing President Trump in this lawsuit.
Coons later asked the court to allow her to recuse herself from the case, according to a court document. Judge Matthew Brann allowed her to remove herself as an attorney for the Trump campaign.
Kirkland & Ellis, which filed the request Nov. 20, will withdraw from its defense of Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar in the lawsuit brought by the Trump campaign. He will be replaced by Barry Berke of Kramer Levin.
There have been reports of widespread harassment and threats against attorneys representing Trump in election-related legal challenges.
Another prominent Trump team attorney, attorney Lin Wood, recently posted on social media that he had recently received a flood of insulting and death threat emails.
“In the past few days, I have received more than the normal number of profane emails, insults, and death threats. Have I said anything to upset a certain group of people? Since this is a special time in our country, I had to put my personal security on high alert!”
Translation of the full text of the letter from the U.S. Surgeon General to Biden
GSA Administrator Emily Murphy sent a letter to Mr. Biden on Monday (Nov. 23) informing him of the GSA’s transition resources, refuting recent media reports and innuendo, and noting that the true winner of the presidential election will be determined by the Constitutional process.
The following is a translation of the full text of GSA Administrator Emily Murphy’s letter to Mr. Biden.
Dear Mr. Biden.
As Administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration, I have the ability to provide certain post-election resources and services to assist the President in his transition under the Presidential Transition Act of 1963, as amended. See 3 U.S.C. § 102 note. I take this responsibility seriously, and due to recent developments involving legal challenges and certification of election results, I am sending this letter today to provide you with these resources and services.
I have dedicated much of my adult life to public service, and I have always tried to do the right thing. Please know that I make decisions independently based on the law and the facts available to me. I have never been pressured, directly or indirectly, by any executive branch official – including those working in the White House or the General Services Administration – nor have I been pressured in any way by (them) as to what or when I make decisions. To be clear, I did not receive any instructions to delay my decision.
However, I did receive threats online, on the phone, and in the mail against my safety, my family, my employees, and even my pets in an attempt to coerce me into making this decision prematurely. Even in the face of thousands of threats, I have remained committed to upholding the law.
Contrary to media reports and innuendo, my decision was not made out of fear or favoritism. Rather, I firmly believe that the statute requires the Administrator of General Services to identify the obvious President-elect, not the imposed (President-elect). Unfortunately, the statute does not provide any process or standards for this process, so I look to precedents from previous elections involving legal challenges and incomplete vote counts.
The General Services Administration does not prescribe the outcome of legal challenges and recounts, nor does it decide whether such a process is reasonable or proper. These issues are questions under the Constitution, federal law, and state law, and should be decided by a court of competent jurisdiction through the election certification process and decision. I do not believe that an agency charged with improving federal procurement and property management should place itself above the constitutionally mandated election process. I strongly urge Congress to consider amendments to the Act.
As you know, the Administrator of GSA does not select or certify the winner of a presidential election. Rather, under the Act, the GSA Administrator’s role is extremely narrow: to provide resources and services for the presidential transition. As noted above, due to recent legal challenges involving election results and developments in the certification of election results, I have determined that post-election resources and services described in Section 3 of the Act are available to you upon request. The actual winner of the presidential election will be determined by the election process detailed in the Constitution.
Section 7 of the Act and Public Law 116-159 of October 1, 2020, provide for the continuation of appropriations until December 11, 2020, to provide you with $6,300,000 to carry out the provisions of Section 3 of the Act. In addition, pursuant to Public Law 116-159, $1,000,000 is authorized to be appropriated to provide briefings for appointees and to prepare a transition catalog. I remind you that Section 6 of the Act imposes reporting requirements on you as a condition of receiving services and funding from GSA.
If there is anything we can do to assist you, please contact the Federal Transition Coordinator, Ms. Mary D. Gibert.
Sincerely.
Director of the U.S. General Services Administration
Emily Murphy
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