WASHINGTON – D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith will remain in control of the Metropolitan Police Department after D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit Friday challenging what he called an unlawful attempt by the federal government to seize control of the city’s police force.
The suit targeted President Donald Trump and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi who named Terry Cole, the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, as Washington’s “emergency police commissioner” on Thursday.
This is a developing story. Previous reporting from FOX 5 DC below.
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Lawsuit filed
What they’re saying:
“By declaring a hostile takeover of MPD, the Administration is abusing its limited, temporary authority under the Home Rule Act, infringing on the District’s right to self-governance and putting the safety of DC residents and visitors at risk,” said Attorney General Schwalb in a statement Friday. “The Administration’s unlawful actions are an affront to the dignity and autonomy of the 700,000 Americans who call DC home. This is the gravest threat to Home Rule that the District has ever faced, and we are fighting to stop it.”
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The Source: Information in this article comes from the D.C. Attorney General’s Office and previous FOX 5 reporting.
