Emily W. Murphy

Emily W. Murphy

Emily Webster Murphy is the administrator of the General Services Administration. She was an attorney for the Republican National Committee and worked for several congressional committees and executive departments in the field of acquisition policy. Murphy became involved in a dispute surrounding a decision to cancel plans to relocate the Federal Bureau of investigations headquarters outside Washington D. C.

About Emily W. Murphy in brief

Summary Emily W. MurphyEmily Webster Murphy is the administrator of the General Services Administration. She was an attorney for the Republican National Committee and worked for several congressional committees and executive departments in the field of acquisition policy. Murphy was appointed as administrator in 2017 by President Donald Trump. She came under scrutiny after the 2020 presidential election for her delay in starting the transition to a Biden administration after Biden apparently won the election on November 7. Murphy initially refused to sign a letter allowing Biden’s transition team to access federal agencies and transition funds; this came as Trump refused to acknowledge Biden’s victory. She signed the letter on November 23, allowing the presidential transition process to begin.

In 2018, Murphy became involved in a dispute surrounding a decision to cancel plans to relocate the Federal Bureau of investigations headquarters outside Washington D. C. and sell the land on which the J. Edgar Hoover Building stands for development. House Democrats alleged that this decision was influenced by Trump’s desire to prevent a rival hotel being built on Pennsylvania Avenue. Murphy faced questions at a 2018 congressional hearing regarding the White House’s involvement in this decision; she said that Trump was not involved in the decision and that the direction was received from the FBI. In March 2018, an Inspector General’s report found that Murphy had a policy of permitting alcohol consumption on agency property.