D.C. attorney general sues Trump over federal takeover of police department

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Washington, D.C., Attorney General Brian Schwalb on Friday filed a lawsuit against U.S. President Donald Trump over his unprecedented takeover of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

The lawsuit challenges Trump's executive order placing the MPD under federal command, local media reported Friday.

Trump signed an executive order Monday commanding Washington mayor Muriel Bowser to hand over the MPD to the federal government temporarily, and is seeking to extend federal control.

Schwalb argued that these actions violate the Home Rule Act, which grants the president only limited, temporary authority to request MPD assistance in federal emergencies, instead of replacing the chief of police and taking over day-to-day operations.

"The Administration's actions are brazenly unlawful," Schwalb said in a statement after the suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

The U.S. Congress has never given the president the power to remove the chief of police or take operational control of the MPD, Schwalb said.