By Pew Research Center Robert McCoy
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb are clapping back a late-night attempt by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to unlawfully usurp the D.C. police chief. Their message: We鈥檒l see you in court, President Trump.
Bondi on Thursday evening issued an order to install Terrance Cole, the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, as the 鈥渆mergency police commissioner鈥 of the Metropolitan Police Department 鈥渇or the duration of the emergency鈥 that President Trump invented from whole cloth in his federal takeover of the District. Bondi claimed Cole would have the authority to issue orders to members of the MPD鈥攁nd that department leadership, from Chief Pamela Smith down, would have to receive his approval 鈥渂efore issuing any further directives鈥 to its officers.
Bondi also rescinded an executive order Smith issued earlier that day, which allowed the MPD to coordinate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement but placed limits on the department鈥檚 assistance of ICE.
Schwalb on Friday sued t