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Ex-national security officials warn of risks in Biden transition delay

November 12, 2020

Note: this piece was originally published in Politico, and the letter discussed was signed by Checks & Balances members Carrie Cordero and Paul Rosenzweig.

A group of more than 150 former national security officials who served under President Donald Trump and other Republican and Democratic administrations is warning that the government’s delay in recognizing Joe Biden as president-elect poses a “serious risk to national security.”

In a letter sent to the General Services Administration on Thursday and obtained by POLITICO, the former officials urged the agency to officially name Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as the apparent president-elect and vice president-elect so that they can access information “needed to address pressing national security issues, such as the President’s Daily Briefing and pending decisions on possible uses of military force.”

The letter comes as Trump continues to refuse to concede the election, resulting in the presidential transition effectively being put on hold for the first time in two decades. It was signed by 161 former officials, including former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel; former CIA and NSA Director Gen. Michael Hayden; retired Gen. Wesley Clark; former Deputy NSA Director Chris Inglis; and former U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power.

Continue reading at Politico and read the full letter here.

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