LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Nearly three weeks after Election Day, President Donald Trump gave the General Services Administration the green light to cooperate with President-elect Joe Biden's transition team. However, he specified that his team is continuing forward with their legal challenges and will not concede.
No law requires a concession for power transitions to begin, but experts say it is healthy for democracy.
"To make up lies about widespread voter fraud without evidence, to call the election into question when this really wasn't a close election - really is disgraceful in terms of accepting one of the basic tenants of our democracy, which is that the losers graciously accept defeat," said UK law professor Joshua Douglas.
Public pressure is also mounting on other top republicans, like Senator Mitch McConnell, to accept the election results publicly.
"I'm concerned about McConnell's silence, which to me is really deafening in what it says about his views over the health of our democracy as compared to just his desire to hold onto political power, and we shouldn't have that on either side," said Douglas. "And I'm someone, by the way, who has spoken out against democrats who have done similar things when they've lost elections. This is about principle, not about partisanship."
Senator McConnell hasn't said much about the election results recently. However, he confirmed that a peaceful transition of power would take place.
"Of course," he said a few days after Election Day. "We've had a peaceful transfer of power going back to 1792. Every four years, we've moved on a new administration."
