- D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb filed a lawsuit Friday to stop the federal government from taking control of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
- The move follows U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s order naming DEA chief Terry Cole “emergency police commissioner.”
- City leaders say the order exceeds limited emergency powers under the Home Rule Act and threatens D.C. self-governance.
The Big Picture
Washington, D.C., moved to court on Friday, August 15, 2025, seeking to block the Trump administration’s bid to assert control over MPD. D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb filed a lawsuit Friday to stop the federal government from taking control of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).The lawsuit arrives one day after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi directed that DEA Administrator Terry Cole assume sweeping command authority over the department. In a separate legal opinion sent to MPD leadership, the D.C. attorney general wrote that Bondi’s order is unlawful and need not be followed (official opinion letter).
We are suing to block the federal government takeover of DC police.
— AG Brian Schwalb (@DCAttorneyGen) August 15, 2025
By illegally declaring a takeover of MPD, the Administration is abusing its temporary, limited authority under the law.
This is the gravest threat to Home Rule DC has ever faced, and we are fighting to stop it.
What’s New
The city’s complaint seeks an emergency order restoring operational control to local officials and invalidating Bondi’s directive. The filing comes amid a broader federal surge in the capital and follows Bondi’s steps to undo D.C.’s “sanctuary” policies and centralize approval of MPD directives. The legal clash escalated rapidly after Bondi’s Thursday action naming Cole as “emergency police commissioner. Subsequent reporting by national and local outlets described city leaders rejecting the order as beyond the scope of emergency powers under Home Rule.
What They’re Saying
Context
The federal push is rooted in a White House emergency declaration that invokes Section 740 of the Home Rule Act and delegates operational direction of MPD to the attorney general (presidential action). D.C. leaders counter that Section 740 permits limited, temporary assistance for federal purposes—not a replacement of the chief or day-to-day command. The city’s lawsuit frames the dispute as the most serious threat to Home Rule in decades, as reported by national wire services and local outlets.
What’s Next
A federal judge could act quickly on the city’s request for a temporary restraining order. If granted, MPD’s chain of command would remain under local control while the case proceeds. If denied, Bondi’s directive naming an “emergency police commissioner” would stand unless overturned on appeal. Expect additional court filings and potential congressional attention to the scope of emergency powers in the District.
The Bottom Line
D.C.’s lawsuit turns a political standoff into a constitutional test of who controls policing in the nation’s capital during a declared emergency. The outcome will set immediate ground rules for MPD and may shape the boundaries of federal authority over local governance.
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