Pasco’s mayor has resigned, effective Aug. 10, to serve as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, and the search is on to replace him. The remaining city council members must conduct two appointment processes in the next six months to replace him. 

Pete Serrano told media outlets Aug. 7 that he was in the running to be the top federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of Washington. He resigned his seat on the Pasco City Council on Aug. 8, according to a press release from the city.

On Aug. 11 he was sworn in as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District, according to a release from the Spokane-based U.S. Attorney’s office. He was appointed by Attorney General Pam Bondi on Aug. 6.

He will supervise the prosecution of all federal crimes and the litigation of all civil matters in the Eastern District of Washington and lead a staff of about 79 prosecutors, civil litigators and support personnel across Eastern Washington.

“It’s an honor to be appointed as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington,” Serrano said in a statement. “I’m grateful and humbled by the confidence and trust extended to me by President Trump and Attorney General Bondi through this appointment. I’ve been blessed to serve the people of Pasco for the past eight years, and now, I look forward to serving the citizens of Eastern Washington. 

Pete Serrano

Serrano was up for reelection to the Pasco council for the District 4 seat in November and was running unopposed. The council will have 90 days to fill his seat for the remainder of his term, which ends Dec. 31.  

The council then will have to conduct another appointment process to finish out the seat’s term until Dec. 31, 2028. 

Applications for those interested in serving will be available on the city of Pasco website soon. 

City council members will select a new mayor at their next regular meeting. 

in 2021, Mr. Serrano co-founded the Silent Majority Foundation, a nonprofit organization to fight for civil liberties. He was director and the general counsel for the foundation.

From 2015-18, Serrano worked as an attorney for the U.S. Department of Energy focusing on environmental law. From 2018-21, he worked at Energy Northwest including working on permitting small modular nuclear reactors.