Trump-appointed head of little known US agency holds keys to Biden’s transition

As President Donald Trump’s legal team continue their multi-state campaign to overturn the US election result, attention has focused on what has been – until now – a well-oiled bureaucratic transition process.

In the run-up to the election, a government agency known as the General Services Administration (GSA) helps prepare how a new government will move into federal buildings and oversee day-to-day expenses before it is officially settled into office.

Once the election result is known, the GSA must sign-off on handing over federal government resources to Mr Biden’s team – effectively, the agency has to confirm who won the election.

When that is underway, Mr Biden’s appointed staff can be vetted by the FBI, set up their offices and begin to work on policy ahead of the January 20 inauguration.

According to the non-partisan Partnership for Public Service, which runs the Centre for Presidential Transition, the job of the GSA is to ensure the 1963 Transition Act is followed to the letter, providing, “office space and administrative support (such as information technology and communications capabilities) to a president-elect and vice president-elect and, recognising a growing need for transition activities to start well before election day".

"In the post-election period, GSA is also authorised to pay expenses for staff, experts, postage and travel for the transition team of the president-elect.”

The head of the GSA has to sign off on this handover, releasing the required funds for it to happen ($9.9 million this year) following what is called “ascertainment” of who won the election.

Since Mr Trump is contesting the result, therein lies the problem.

Current GSA head Emily Murphy is an appointee of Mr Trump, which has sparked intense debate on exactly how she will uphold her legal duty.

Will she refuse to sign the letter authorising the handover until Mr Trump concedes? Or will she will ease Mr Biden’s transition by validating the election result now?

As Mr Biden has outlined plans to move quickly on the Covid-19 crisis and other key issues, a delay could be a problem.

Supporters of a smooth handover are not waiting to find out when ascertainment will take place.

In a viral tweet, lawyer Mark Zaid said that he would support journalists seeking to find out if Ms Murphy is deliberately trying to obstruct the handover, offering to assist with Freedom of Information Act requests in exchange for a filing fee.

According to Mr Zaid’s website, the lawyer “represents former/current federal employees, intelligence and military officers, whistle-blowers and others who have grievances or have been wronged by agencies of the United States Government or foreign governments”.

This could quickly mount pressure on Ms Murphy. Mr Zaid’s offer was retweeted by General Michael Hayden, former director of the CIA.

Ms Murphy has so far declined to make a public statement but on Saturday, GSA spokeswoman Pamela Pennington told NBC news: “An ascertainment has not yet been made. GSA and its administrator will continue to abide by, and fulfil, all requirements under the law.”

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SCORES IN BRIEF

New Zealand 153 and 56 for 1 in 22.4 overs at close
Pakistan 227
(Babar 62, Asad 43, Boult 4-54, De Grandhomme 2-30, Patel 2-64)

The Bloomberg Billionaire Index in full

1 Jeff Bezos $140 billion
2 Bill Gates $98.3 billion
3 Bernard Arnault $83.1 billion
4 Warren Buffett $83 billion
5 Amancio Ortega $67.9 billion
6 Mark Zuckerberg $67.3 billion
7 Larry Page $56.8 billion
8 Larry Ellison $56.1 billion
9 Sergey Brin $55.2 billion
10 Carlos Slim $55.2 billion

MATCH INFO

CAF Champions League semi-finals first-leg fixtures

Tuesday:

Primeiro Agosto (ANG) v Esperance (TUN) (8pm UAE)
Al Ahly (EGY) v Entente Setif (ALG) (11PM)

Second legs:

October 23

Whiile you're here

Damien McElroy: Anti-science attitudes in America are proving lethal

Editorial: What makes the UAE such a good place to test vaccines?

Editorial: The fight against Covid-19 should be guided by science

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Find the right policy for you

Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.

Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.

Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.

Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.

If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.

Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.

Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”

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How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now

Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.

The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.

1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):

a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33

b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.

2. For those who have worked more than five years

c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.

Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.

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Mountain Classification Tour de France after Stage 8 on Saturday: