The General Services Administration, which is charged with approving transfer of power to a new presidential administration, is resisting requests from Democrat Joe Biden to approve the process, saying the winner has yet to be determined.
"An ascertainment has not yet been made," a GSA spokesperson said Monday, The Epoch Times reports. "GSA and its administrator will continue to abide by, and fulfill, all requirements under the law."
According to the agency, GSA administrator Emily Murphy will not initiate the transition until a "winner is clear, based on the process laid out in the Constitution."
Mainstream news organizations called the election for Biden on Saturday, but President Donald Trump has refused to concede, alleging election irregularities in several states. His legal team has filed lawsuits in five states, some in which vote counting continues.
Newsmax has not called the race, instead waiting for the legal process to play out.
"The administrator's ascertainment is done for the purposes of making services provided by the [Presidential Transition Act] available," the GSA spokesperson told the Times. "Until an ascertainment is made, the statute allows for the Biden Transition Team to continue to receive the pre-elect services from the government (e.g., limited office space, computers, background investigations for security clearances). GSA has met all statutory requirements under the PTA for this election cycle and will continue to do so."
The federal agency normally recognizes a presidential candidate when it becomes clear who has won an election, an official told reporters on a call, adding that the transition team may take legal action.
The GSA's refusal to begin the official transition is keeping Biden's team from receiving travel expenses and salaries.
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