Question...can the Biden/Harris campaign legally use campaign funds for their transition?

[Roland99]

Given president Pouty McPoutface refuses to allow the GSA to do so?

[SheltieLover]

1. Great question!

[underpants]

2. As I understand it they also have to raise inauguration and transition money

But once the GSA signs off on the letter about $9M becomes available from the Federal government. They also get office space in agencies and official emails etc.

[Roland99]

4. Ya know...I bet he'd be fine w/a scaled-down inauguration and, instead, get to work day one!

[MLAA]

5. I saw a post yesterday that said they had raised nearly $7M

[underpants]

11. The WH is currently drastically understaffed

I read this yesterday. Apparently everyone in DC knows it. Due to the extremely high turnover rate and lack of applicants, the staff there isn’t near what’s needed for basic operations. Team Biden has been aware of this and been at least vetting and preparing to hire people ASAP. They are going to have to bend time just to get the normal daily functions of the place back up to speed.

[MLAA]

16. I bet even the house plants are going to breathe a sigh of relief when

Biden’s new team refill the West Wing with competence and compassion.

[Thekaspervote]

14. That was me, and yes Biden saw this coming and raised 7 million for transition

[exboyfil]

7. It might be unpopular but what about deferring the inauguration celebration

until some time after Covid isn't an issue. I could see a theme of stopping the BS and getting to work because we are in a crisis and we don't want it to get worse. Enough time has already been wasted.

If I was Biden and Harris, I would be prominent for the first six months without a vacation emphasizing all the time that the people's work is too important when compared to what came before.

[tavernier]

17. Inauguration sure, transition, no.

Those positions need to be filled. Our country has been run by an inexperienced skeleton crew for years and of course that’s been observed by the rest of the world, both friend and foe.

[exboyfil]

18. Definitely that is essential

I can't find the quotes, but I swear that Gore was blamed in part for 9/11 because of the added transition time it took to select a President. I am willing to bet that more than one prominent Republican that is still active said it.

[exboyfil]

3. They are talking about Logan Act violations for Biden

because he is taking congratulatory calls from world leaders, so who knows with this bunch.

[Roland99]

6. HA! So are they now going to toss Flynn under a bus or keep him up on a pedestal?

[Clearly fogged in]

10. They, they, are a fickle lot! lol

[Clearly fogged in]

8. There may be restrictions on how the transition funds may be used

If the funds may only be used for expenses and direct costs, repayment of advances or loans would be disallowed. It sounds like they are the same but they're quite different.

[mopinko]

19. campaign funds are the opposite.

i dont doubt they could be used for transition costs.

[Clearly fogged in]

23. Yes. I was thinking of restrictions on the GSA monies.

The campaign could possibly be faced with $7 million in unrecoverable expenditures. I'm sure that the campaign coffers have enough but no one really wants to take the hit.

[CottonBear]

9. If the GSA doesn't sign off, the Biden team don't get security clearances.

That is bad, really bad.


We should all remember what the Velveeta Voldemort said at the Inauguration:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/the-inaugural-address/

Every four years, we gather on these steps to carry out the orderly and peaceful transfer of power, and we are grateful to President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for their gracious aid throughout this transition. They have been magnificent.

[mopinko]

21. he already has security clearance.

doesnt he? former presidents keep theirs.

[CottonBear]

22. Biden & Harris now have security clearances, but NOT the transition team.

Senator Harris currently has a certain very high level of clearance as a Senator.

Former Presidents can be given security briefings, but it is as a courtesy and it’s not automatic. I don’t know if former VPs get the same courtesy.

I can’t imagine that Biden will share top secret information with MF45 in the future.

[Thekaspervote]

12. Biden saw this coming and raised 7 million specifically for his transition team

See Beau of the fifth column on YouTube for more on this

[Roland99]

13. Ah. That's the $7 mil mentioned earlier. Wonderful

But no security clearance is bad

[getagrip_already]

15. to be honest, the FEC isn't in a position to enforce anything.......

They don't have enough members thanks to moscow mitch and can't reach a quorum required to take any votes or proceed with any actions.

That doesn't mean the campaign can just ignore finance rules, just that there is zero chance of any penalties until we regain control of the senate. And then they will have their hands full......

[Proud Liberal Dem]

20. I don't know what the answer is

but it should not be acceptable to just allow these norms and/or laws dealing with Presidential transitions to be broken. Biden should use whatever legal means that they have to fight this (and I think that they probably will if they have to)