Colorado officials condemn Peters release as threat to election integrity
Former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters freed after Trump pardon campaign, immediately resumes fraud claims
Tina Peters, the former Colorado election clerk sentenced to nine years in state prison for facilitating unauthorised access to voting machines, was released from custody on Monday. Her release follows a sustained pressure campaign by US President Donald Trump, who granted Peters a presidential pardon in December, although federal clemency does not override state convictions.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis granted Peters clemency last month, describing the nine-year sentence as disproportionate for a first-time offender who committed non-violent crimes. While Polis acknowledged the seriousness of the offences, he characterised the term as extremely unusual. The decision has drawn sharp criticism from state officials, including Secretary of State Jena Griswold, who warned that the release undermines accountability and emboldens the election denial movement.
Peters served as the county clerk for Mesa County during the 2020 presidential race. She was convicted of felonies after allowing an unauthorised member of the public to access local electronic voting systems and copy their hard drives, an act intended to prove false claims that the election had been fraudulent. Trump and his allies have previously held Peters up as an example of political persecution, with the Trump administration issuing a blanket pardon to those involved in 2020 election denial efforts last November.
Immediately following her release, Peters resumed spreading unsubstantiated allegations of election fraud. She appeared on Steve Bannon’s podcast, where she alleged that Democrats are cheating in upcoming elections in states including Virginia, California, Texas, and Maine. Peters stated she had written letters to President Trump thanking him for his assistance in her release and claimed that exposing the election machines was retribution for her time in prison.
The release has prompted immediate backlash from Democratic candidates for governor, who are seeking to succeed Polis. State Senator Michael Bennet criticised Peters’ continued rhetoric, linking it to Trump’s “Big Lie” narrative. Matt Crane, head of the Colorado County Clerks Association, described the clemency as misguided, joining other government watchdog groups in expressing deep disappointment over the decision.
