Critics warn Biden over picking conservative official to oversee transition
Critics have raised objections to US President-elect Joe Biden’s pick for overseeing the transition at the White House, arguing she has been too sympathetic towards US President Donald Trump.
Biden appointed Bridget C.E. Dooling, a professor of George Washington University, as his representative at the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) after the General Services Administrator Emily Murphy told him in a letter on Monday that he could begin transition into the White House.
The OIRA is responsible for checking all executive branch regulations before they can be implemented.
Critics argue that Dooling is working for a center, George Washington’s Regulatory Studies Center, that has received funding from conservative-leaning entities such as the Charles Koch Foundation and ExxonMobil.
“It’s just kind of surprising to see a Democrat reach out to someone in charge of reviewing OIRA whose work in this space is funded by the Koch network, which is so opposed to the regulation of corporate America,” said Jeff Hasuer, director of the Revolving Door Project.
“You would expect a Koch-funded person to be conducting an OIRA agency view in the Trump administration -- that wouldn't be surprising -- but this is supposed to be a transition, a change,” he added.
Meanwhile, Biden's transition team defended its decision of picking Dooling among other options.
"Over 500 policy experts serve on the Biden-Harris Transition agency review teams to ensure the policy goals of President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris are met. Bridget Dooling has decades of experience, is well-respected in her field and like all members of the transition, has values that align with President-elect Biden's," the transition team said in a statement.
The transition process in the US has been stalled for weeks as Trump refuses to acknowledge Biden as the president-elect. He also has mounted multiple legal challenges to reverse the results in several key states.
However, his campaign’s efforts have so far met with little success in the courtroom or on the ground.
Quick and peaceful US election transition
US media declares Trump winner of presidency
‘War criminals’: Netizens react to US election results as Trump declares victory over Harris
Foreign presidential elections will not affect Iran: Parl. speaker
VIDEO | Beaten Democrats look warily at four more years of Trump
VIDEO | A look at Trump's past actions
US, UK warplanes pound Yemeni capital Sana’a, other regions
VIDEO | 57 weeks of pro-Palestine rallies in Milan
VIDEO | Iraqi fighters strike Israeli military target, vow ‘increasing intensity’
VIDEO | Iran confirms successful signals from Kowsar, Hodhod satellites
VIDEO | What will keep Gaza on top of the new US presidential agenda?
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
