Poli Alert Politics & Civics
Related Articles
District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a federal lawsuit Friday seeking to block the Trump administration’s takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department, arguing the move violates D.C.’s limited self-governance rights under the Home Rule Act.
The legal challenge targets both President Donald Trump’s Monday order placing the city’s police under federal control and Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Thursday directive installing Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Terry Cole as “emergency police commissioner,” superseding Police Chief Pamela Smith. Schwalb’s office warned the measures could “sow chaos” in the nation’s capital and cause “devastating and irreparable harms.”
Background
Trump’s order followed what he called a spike in violent incidents in Washington, D.C., prompting deployment of National Guard troops and federal control of MPD. Bondi’s follow-up order gave Cole sweeping authority over police operations, requiring all department directives to go through him.
Mayor Muriel Bowser initially complied with Trump’s emergency directive but said Bondi’s move “went too far.” She argued that while the president can request MPD services for federal purposes during a declared emergency, “there is no statute that conveys the District’s personnel authority to a federal official.”
Legal Arguments
In the lawsuit, Schwalb asserted that federal law allows only temporary, emergency-based requests for police services and does not permit replacing the police chief. “By declaring a hostile takeover of MPD, the Administration is abusing its limited, temporary authority under the Home Rule Act,” Schwalb said in a statement.
Police Chief Smith, in a sworn declaration, called Bondi’s directive “the greatest threat to law and order” she had seen, warning that abruptly altering the command structure could “create tremendous risk for the public” and confuse officers who must follow the chief’s orders under District law.
Government Response
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Trump’s actions as “the first step in stopping the violent crime that has been plaguing the streets of Washington, D.C.” Bondi’s office has not yet commented directly on the lawsuit.
Broader Context
D.C.’s Home Rule Act grants Congress and the president certain oversight powers while allowing local self-governance. The law permits federalization of the police force for up to 30 days without congressional approval. Trump has said he will seek a long-term extension — a move that would require support from some Democrats.
Bowser disputed Trump’s portrayal of the city’s crime rate, noting that federal data shows violent crime in 2024 fell to its lowest level in more than three decades, down 35% from the previous year.
Next Steps
The court will consider Schwalb’s request for a temporary restraining order to halt the takeover while litigation proceeds. Without judicial intervention, Bondi’s order would remain in effect, restructuring MPD’s leadership during the ongoing emergency declaration.
Meta description:
