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Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a new order Friday giving control of Washington, DC’s Metropolitan Police Department back to Chief Pamela Smith, but it would still require the city to answer to the Trump administration for the time being.
The new order comes after a hearing in federal court over a challenge to DEA Administrator Terrance Cole’s appointment as “emergency police commissioner” a day earlier. The order replaces one issued Thursday evening appointing Cole and giving him full control of the department during the federal takeover.
During the court hearing Friday afternoon, federal district Judge Ana Reyes encouraged the Justice Department and DC lawyers to work out a compromise addressing the effort to appoint new police leadership, so she wouldn’t have to issue a direct ruling or temporary restraining order.
Bondi’s new order follows that guidance, clarifying that Cole has to go through Mayor Muriel Bowser in order to provide directions to the police department.
CNN’s Victor Blackwell speaks with trial attorney Kelly Hyman. #CNN #News
