Biden transition gets green light from GSA

[NFA] President-elect Biden was formally given the go-ahead by a key federal agency to begin his transition to the White House, shortly after Michigan certified him as the state's winner.

This report produced by Chris Dignam.

Nearly three weeks since Election Day and more than two weeks since the race was called, President-elect Joe Biden can officially begin his transition.

This after the head of the General Services Administration on Monday formally signed off on the hand-over process.

GSA chief Emily Murphy said the decision to allow the start of a presidential transition was "solely mine" despite a tweet from President Donald Trump in which he said he recommended the move but will press ahead with his long-shot legal challenges, saying: "Our case STRONGLY continues, we will keep up the good fight, and I believe we will prevail!

Nevertheless, in the best interest of our Country, I am recommending that Emily and her team do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols, and have told my team to do the same." The news came just hours after Michigan certified Biden as the winner of the battleground state, confirming earlier projections that the Democrat beat the Republican president, making Trump's long-shot effort to challenge the election result in several key states even more unlikely to succeed.

AARON VAN LANGEVELDE: "Our duty is very simple, and it's our duty.

We have no authority to request an audit, to delay or block certification..." The vice chair of the Michigan Board of State Canvassers - a Republican - said repeatedly during Monday's meeting that he saw no indication in the law that the board has any option other than to certify the election results.

Trump has been losing repeatedly in his persistent legal battle to overturn the election results in other battleground states.

RUDY GIULIANI ON NOVEMBER 19: "I know crimes.

I can smell 'em." On Monday, Trump's legal team said it was appealing a scathing decision from a judge who rejected its claims of widespread problems with mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania and asked a federal appeals court to halt officials from declaring Biden the winner in the state.

Meanwhile, several lawmakers, including Republicans such as Ohio Senator Rob Portman, said it was time the General Services Administration provided resources to the Biden transition team.

In the letter to Biden, Murphy said: "I take this role seriously and, because of recent developments involving legal challenges and certifications of election results, I am transmitting this letter today to make those resources and services available to you." The move by Murphy means Biden's team will now receive regular national security briefings - that Trump also gets - and have access to federal funds and an official office to conduct the transition over the next two months.