DC sues Trump administration over ‘unlawful’ federal takeover
The D.C. attorney general on Friday sued the Trump administration over its federal takeover of the D.C. police force and its deployment of national guard troops into the city, arguing that the effort is “unlawful” and exceeds Trump’s authority as commander in chief.
The lawsuit, filed Friday by D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb, challenges Trump’s executive order to temporarily federalize D.C. under Section 740 of the D.C. Home Rule Act, and Attorney General Pam Bondi’s more recent order Thursday that seeks to install the DEA head as the emergency commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Force — arguing the moves are both unprecedented and “brazenly unlawful.”
In the filing, submitted to federal court in D.C., Schwalb urged the court to block both of the administration’s orders, stating that the Trump administration’s temporary takeover of DC police under Section 740 of the D.C. Home Rule Act “does not authorize this brazen usurpation of the District’s authority over its own government.”
“They infringe on the District’s right to self-governance and put the safety of DC residents and visitors at risk.” he said.
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The lawsuit comes five days after President Donald Trump issued an executive order to temporarily federalize D.C., which he described as an effort to “reestablish law order and public safety” and temporarily federalize the city.
The order included deploying hundreds of D.C. National Guard troops into the city, and temporarily taking federal control of D.C.’s police force.
On Thursday, Bondi expanded on that effort by announcing ordering the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Terry Cole, be installed as the “emergency” commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Force, sidelining current Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith.
“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,” Schwalb said 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,” he added. “This is the gravest threat to Home Rule that the District has ever faced, and we are fighting to stop it.”
Trump in March signed an executive order, “Making DC Safe and Beautiful Task Force,” designed to address issues with a city he has long derided as “filthy,” “horribly run” and “crime-ridden,” among other things.
“We want to have a great, safe capital,” he told reporters earlier this year. “And we’re going to have it. And that includes cleanliness and it includes other things.”
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
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