Colorado Governor Hints at Clemency For Imprisoned Trump-backed Election Denier Tina Peters

The governor of Colorado says he will consider granting clemency to a former county clerk serving a nine-year sentence stemming from her efforts to help an unauthorized person gain access to the county’s voting machines after the 2020 election.Tina Peters was convicted on state charges involving a data breach of Mesa County’s election machines. The data was taken by supporters of President Trump who remain convinced, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, that the 2020 election was rigged against the president.Prosecutors said Peters became fixated on voting problems after becoming involved with MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, another election denier who is now running for governor of Minnesota.Governor Jared Polis noted that one of the charges Peters was sentenced for — attempting to influence a public official — was the same as a former state senator was sentenced for this week. Instead of prison, Sonya Jaquez Lewis was sentenced to probation and community service.“As someone who has known Sonya as a friend for many years, on a personal level I was glad to hear she isn’t going to prison which is a hard place for anyone, no less a retired 68-year old pharmacist,” Mr. Polis said in an X post. “But it is not lost on me that she was convicted of the exact same felony charge as Tina Peters — attempting to influence a public official — and yet Tina Peters, as a non-violent first time offender got a nine year sentence.”“This is the context I am using as I consider cases like this that have sentencing disparities, which is why I have extended the deadline for clemency applications until April 3rd,” Mr. Polis went on to say. “I will be making decisions on these cases throughout the remainder of my governorship.”“We are hoping that Governor Polis commutes Tina Peters’ sentence this week, as he has already made it known even prior to Sonya Jacquez Lewis’ convictions and sentencing that the sentence imposed on Tina Peters was too harsh,” Peters’s attorney, Peter Ticktin, said in an emailed message to The New York Sun.“There is no reason to keep Tina Peters in prison,” Mr. Ticktin added.The judge in the case chided Peters before handing down the harsh sentence. “I am convinced you would do it all over again if you could. You’re as defiant as any defendant this court has ever seen,” Judge Matthew Barrett said. “You are no hero. You abused your position and you’re a charlatan.”Peters said she was simply trying to help uncover the truth. “I’ve never done anything with malice to break the law. I’ve only wanted to serve the people of Mesa County,” she told the judge.Peters’ case has become a cause célèbre among Trump supporters who feel she was a scapegoat used to silence anyone from questioning election results. “Tina Peters was prosecuted, as admitted by the prosecutor to teach a lesson to other Clerks throughout the United States,” Mr. Ticktin said in his email. “If Clerks want to image the Dominion or now Liberty Voting Machines, they may find themselves in the same situation as Tina Peters.”Mr. Trump also has been pushing for freedom for Peters. Last May, Mr. Trump posted “FREE TINA PETERS, NOW!” Then, in December he claimed in another post that he had pardoned her. Mr. Trump’s pardon powers, however, are understood to only pertain to federal crimes and not state-level convictions. Mr. Polis, a Democrat, refused a request last year to transfer Peters to federal custody.

Colorado Governor Hints at Clemency For Imprisoned Trump-backed Election Denier Tina Peters

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