US President-elect Joe Biden will further lay the groundwork for his new administration on Wednesday as President Donald Trump pursues numerous lawsuits challenging the election results in an effort to cling to power.
Biden will meet with advisors who will help him prepare to take office on January 20, 2021. He has already announced some 500 staff who will work with federal agencies to prepare for the Biden White House.
He has tapped finance, trade and banking regulation experts for his transition team that range from core Democrats to progressive activists, reflecting ongoing debate within the party about how to address climate change, wealth inequality and other issues.
The move is a clear projection of confidence in the transition despite Trump’s continuing refusal to accept defeat.
Trump has declined to concede, instead lodging unsupported charges of election fraud that have gained little traction.
Judges so far have tossed out lawsuits in Michigan and Georgia brought by Trump’s campaign, and legal experts say the litigation has little chance of changing the outcome of the Nov. 3 election.
Biden’s team has said it believes it can begin to make the necessary arrangements for a Biden administration even though it has not yet been granted full access to departments.
For that, the General Services Administration – which co-ordinates funding and access to federal departments for incoming administrations – would have to recognise Biden’s victory. As yet, it has not done so. Its administrator, Emily Murphy, a Trump appointee, has said the body is waiting to “ascertain” a clear winner “based on the process laid out in the Constitution”.
The Biden team is reportedly preparing for legal action if the Trump administration continues to stall the handover.