Progressive Candidates in Colorado Call for Democratic Governor’s Impeachment

Members of the Democratic Party’s left flank are saying the Colorado legislature should consider impeaching Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat who has held the office for more than seven years, over a clemency decision of a former county clerk. Progressives say Mr. Polis betrayed his oath of office by granting clemency to Tina Peters, who gave access to voting machines to an unauthorized individual to try to prove that the 2020 election had been stolen. President Trump had sought to pardon Peters, but all of her convictions are on state charges so he had no power to help her. Instead, Mr. Trump vetoed legislation to bring drinking water to parts of eastern Colorado as part of a plan to punish the state for keeping Peters in prison. He then blocked Mr. Polis from attending a bipartisan meeting of governors at the White House. In late 2025, the Justice Department also launched an investigation into Colorado’s prison system.Last week, Mr. Polis made the surprise announcement that Peters would soon leave prison thanks to the clemency he had granted her. Peters is now eligible for parole on June 1. On Sunday, a leading congressional candidate to represent Denver, Melat Kiros, called on the legislature to convene a special session to consider impeaching Mr. Polis. To convene a special session, either the governor must make the call or two-thirds of the legislature must be in agreement. Ms. Kiros — who is challenging a longtime incumbent, Congresswoman Diana DeGette — says Mr. Polis may have violated his oath of office by acquiescing to Mr. Trump’s demand that Peters be freed. “Tina Peters was convicted on seven counts, including four felonies, for allowing unauthorized access to Mesa County’s voting system, lying to investigators, and obstructing the Colorado Secretary of State,” Ms. Kiros wrote on X. “While Governor Polis has the authority to commute that sentence, he expressed no interest in doing so until Donald Trump pressured him to.”“A governor who uses a constitutional power to assist an unlawful federal coercion scheme has violated his oath to defend the U.S. Constitution and Colorado’s independence. This is grounds for impeachment,” Ms. Kiros continued. A progressive candidate for attorney general, David Seligman, who has been endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders’s outside group Our Revolution, agreed with Ms. Kiros. In a statement, he said Mr. Polis should face either censure or impeachment. “The Governor commuted Tina Peters’ sentence after the legislative session, likely in an effort to avoid accountability for misconduct. The people of Colorado are demanding accountability,” Mr. Seligman wrote. Many other top Colorado Democrats have lambasted Mr. Polis for the grant of clemency, though they are not calling for an impeachment or censure effort. Colorado’s secretary of state, Jena Griswold, who is running for attorney general, said in a statement that the commutation “will validate and embolden the election denial movement, and leave a dark, dangerous imprint on American democracy for years to come.”Senator Michael Bennet, who is running for governor this year, agreed. He said in a statement that he “vehemently” disagrees with Mr. Polis’s decision. “Lawlessness only breeds more lawlessness. With President Trump continuing to attack Colorado, we must do everything we can to stand strong for our institutions and the rule of law,” Mr. Bennet said. Mr. Polis, who last week granted clemency to 44 individuals, including Peters, has said he commuted the sentence after the Colorado Court of Appeals determined the lengthy sentence “was based in part on improper consideration of her exercise of her right to free speech.”

Progressive Candidates in Colorado Call for Democratic Governor’s Impeachment

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