CRS report via LC – Presidential Transition Act: Provisions and Funding, November 13, 2020: “The Presidential Transition Act of 1963 (PTA) authorizes funding for the General Services Administration (GSA) to provide suitable office space, staff compensation, and other services associated with the presidential transition process (3 U.S.C. §102 note). The act has since been amended… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Congress
The machinery of American democracy is working
The New York Times – “This article is part of Democracy by Mail, a series following the absentee-ballot process from printing to mailing to counting: “…But for the most part, mail-in balloting — and balloting at the polls, too — went smoothly and revealed two competing truths: The machinery of American democracy is working, its… Continue Reading
Vacancies, acting officials and the waning role of the U.S. Senate
Brookings – “With the recent passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and ensuing speculation over whether Republican senators will confirm the president’s nominee before the 2020 election, the role of the U.S. Senate has taken center stage. Such an imbroglio leaves the impression that the Senate plays a pivotal role in the appointments process, and… Continue Reading
Obama’s Memoir – I’m Not Yet Ready to Abandon the Possibility of America
The Atlantic – I’m Not Yet Ready to Abandon the Possibility of America – Story by Barack Obama – “I wrote my book for young people—as an invitation to bring about, through hard work, determination, and a big dose of imagination, an America that finally aligns with all that is best in us.” The Atlantic… Continue Reading
The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history
Statement by the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) – the Nation’s risk advisor: “The members of Election Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council (GCC) Executive Committee – Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Assistant Director Bob Kolasky, U.S. Election Assistance Commission Chair Benjamin Hovland, National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) President Maggie Toulouse Oliver,… Continue Reading
Biden-Harris agency review teams
Biden-Harris Transition: “Agency review teams are responsible for understanding the operations of each agency, ensuring a smooth transfer of power, and preparing for President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris and their cabinet to hit the ground running on Day One. These teams are composed of highly experienced and talented professionals with deep backgrounds in crucial… Continue Reading
Growing Discomfort at Law Firms Representing Trump in Election Lawsuits
The New York Times via MSN – “There was Big Tobacco. There was the Bin Laden family. There was even the hated owner of the Cleveland Browns football team as he moved the franchise to Baltimore. Now Jones Day is the most prominent firm representing President Trump and the Republican Party as they prepare to… Continue Reading
Biden may have trouble unearthing Trump’s national security secrets
Politico: “From tearing up documents and hiding transcripts of calls with foreign leaders to using encrypted messaging apps and personal email accounts for government business, the Trump White House’s skirting of records preservation rules could limit the incoming Biden administration’s visibility into highly sensitive foreign policy and national security secrets….The Presidential Records Act, which requires… Continue Reading
Refusing to concede, Trump blocks cooperation on transition
AP: “The Trump administration threw the presidential transition into tumult on Monday, Attorney General William Barr authorizing the Justice Department to probe allegations of voter fraud and President Donald Trump firing the Pentagon chief and blocking government officials from cooperating with President-elect Joe Biden’s team. Despite little evidence of fraud, Barr signed off on investigations… Continue Reading
Day and night, under historic scrutiny, the nation’s vote counters carried on
Washington Post – ‘We will not allow anyone to stop us’: Day and night, under historic scrutiny, the nation’s vote counters carried on -“…Long before the fall, elections officials were quietly preparing for what was to come. “We knew we would be under a microscope from day one,” said Peter Antonacci, the election supervisor in… Continue Reading
How to Handle Post-Election Misinformation, Even With a Presidential Winner Declared
Consumer Reports – “Court battles and possible recounts create fertile ground for false statements. Here’s how you can wade through the claims..” Continue Reading
Letter – GOP-Tapped Ex-US Attorneys Denounce Trump’s ‘Irresponsible’ Election Claims
Law.com – “A coalition of former Republican-nominated U.S. attorneys on Thursday spoke out against President Donald Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election, saying the U.S.’s “very legitimacy as a nation of laws, not men, depends on getting this right.” The letter, signed by 19 ex-federal prosecutors, comes as Trump falsely… Continue Reading
