Official in charge of signing off on Biden's win is reportedly 'afraid on multiple levels'

White House.
(Image credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

President-elect Joe Biden's victory over President Trump can't be ascertained until General Services Administrator Emily Murphy signs off on it, but she is continuing to hold out while Trump refuses to concede. Murphy has been subject to criticism for delaying the inevitable, but sources close to her told CNN that the "consummate professional" believes she's doing "her honest duty as someone who has sworn true allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America and the laws that govern her position."

The sources also said Murphy is struggling with what she considers a no-win situation. She reportedly feels pressure from both sides of the political spectrum as she tries to interpret unclear law and precedent. "She absolutely feels like she's in a hard place," a friend and former colleague told CNN. "She's afraid on multiple levels. It's a terrible situation."

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Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.