BILLINGS, Mont.—Yellowstone County Attorney Scott Twito is resigning from his position to become interim U.S. attorney for the District of Montana, ending 16 years as the county’s top prosecutor.
Twito’s final day as county attorney will be Sunday, Oct. 25, and he will assume his new federal position Monday, Oct. 26, according to his resignation letter.
“Recently, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presented itself to me. I was selected as the interim United States Attorney for the District of Montana,” Twito wrote.
Twito will replace Mark Steger Smith, who has led the U.S. Attorney’s Office in an acting capacity since May.
Under the federal appointment process, Twito can serve for 120 days as interim U.S. attorney. After that period, the federal district court may appoint an interim U.S. attorney if a presidential nominee has not been confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Twito began his legal career in the Yellowstone County Attorney’s Office in the 1990s and was first elected county attorney in 2010. He subsequently won reelection in 2014, 2018 and 2022.
Earlier this year, Twito filed for a fifth four-year term and was running unopposed in the Nov. 3 general election.
Because his resignation comes less than two weeks before Election Day, his name will remain on the ballot despite his departure from county government.
The Yellowstone County Commission will be responsible for appointing his successor under Montana law.
In his resignation letter, Twito expressed confidence in the prosecutors and staff remaining in the office.
“My office is full of capable, dedicated public servants ready to continue serving the people of Yellowstone County,” he wrote.
As interim U.S. attorney, Twito will oversee federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the federal government throughout Montana.