SPOKANE, Wash. – Pete Serrano, former Pasco Mayor and now Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, faces opposition in his bid for permanent nomination.
Serrano, who previously served as the Mayor of Pasco, now oversees the prosecution of federal crimes and civil litigation in the Eastern District, managing a team of 79 professionals, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a release.
Despite his new role, Senator Patty Murray has expressed her intent to block his confirmation.
Murray’s office released a statement explaining her position:
“Pete Serrano has tried to rewrite the history of the violent January 6th insurrection, thinks the Supreme Court overturning Roe and allowing states to pass criminal abortion bans was ‘the right decision,’ and has fought in court to unleash dangerous assault weapons on our streets. His extreme right-wing views are far out of step with the people of Washington state, and I will be using every legislative tool I have to block his confirmation.”
Serrano co-founded the Silent Majority Foundation in 2021, focusing on civil liberties. His legal career includes working with the Department of Energy and Energy Northwest on environmental law and nuclear reactor permits.
If Serrano is officially nominated, both Senator Murray and Senator Maria Cantwell have the option to block his advancement to a Senate floor vote through a Blue Slip process which was established in 1917.
This tool allows senators to express their opinion on a nominee from their home state, potentially influencing the Senate Judiciary Committee’s decision.
NonStop Local has reached out to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington for a response.
