Bowser says she's the "big boss," but control of D.C. police is murky

State of play: D.C. leaders say they are in charge. "Chief [Pamela] Smith is leading MPD," mayoral spokesperson Daniel Gleick told Axios.

• That comes after D.C. sued the Trump administration last week, and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi backed off her attempt to give Terry Cole, the administrator of the DEA, authority over the Metropolitan Police Department. Cole is now a liaison who delivers requests to MPD.
• This week, Mayor Muriel Bowser said she met with federal officers, alongside Cole and Miller, to support their mission, listening to their concerns and offering "ways that I can support them as their big boss."
• As the big boss, Bowser calls it a "federal surge" — not a "federal takeover."

Yes, but: The chain of command is murky.

What we don't know: Can Smith say no to Bondi and Cole?

• One big test: Bondi announced a "directive" last Friday that D.C. must cooperate fully with federal authorities on immigration enforcement, "regardless of any policies MPD might otherwise have."
• In plain terms: Toss your sanctuary city policies immediately, arrest undocumented immigrants alongside federal agents and share immigration status information with ICE. All actions the city has previously prohibited.
• Bowser's office declined to say whether MPD is following Bondi's order.

That begs other questions: Is Bowser in insubordination, actively defying Bondi? And what might the feds do about it?

• Or is she quietly ignoring Bondi's order, hoping a judge ends up striking it?
• The Bowser administration is waiting on U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes to set another date about the immigration question.

Between the lines: D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argued in court last week that the president cannot "command the police force himself," only request its services.

• Smith has a "very, very congenial" relationship with Cole, she said at a press conference Wednesday.
• But she sidestepped a reporter's question about whether Cole was suggesting ways she police the city: "It's been very collaborative."