Colorado Governor Commutes Former Clerk's Sentence Amid Democratic Outcry
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Colorado’s governor, Jared Polis, commuted Peters’ nearly nine-year prison sentence on Friday, ordering her release on 1 June. The former Colorado county clerk had allowed unauthorized people to access voting records amid efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, in which Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden.
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Fox NewsDemocrat Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Friday commuted the sentence of former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters — the former election clerk convicted in connection with a 2021 voting equipment breach case that became a flashpoint in the election integrity fight — drawing immediate backlash from Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold and praise from President Donald Trump, who posted "FREE TINA!" on Truth Social.
Washington ExaminerColorado Gov. Jared Polis (D-CO) plans to grant clemency to former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, a prominent election denier serving a lengthy prison sentence for breaching election security equipment in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, according to multiple reports Friday.
NBC NewsColorado Gov. Jared Polis announced Friday that he’s commuting the prison sentence of Tina Peters, a former county clerk and 2020 election denier who was sentenced to nine years behind bars for tampering with election equipment.
New York TimesTina Peters, Colorado Election Denier, Will Be Freed by Gov. Jared Polis Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, commuted the sentence of Ms. Peters, a former county clerk serving a nine-year sentence for her role in a plot to examine voting machines after the 2020 election.
The HillTina Peters to go free after Colorado Gov. Polis commutes her sentence Tina Peters, a former elections clerk who was the first local official convicted over efforts to subvert the 2020 presidential election, will go free from prison after Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) commuted her sentence Friday. Polis told Colorado Public Radio earlier in the day from the governor’s office that he would cut her almost…
BreitbartColorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) commuted the sentence of Tina Peters, a former clerk for the state’s Mesa County, after she was sentenced to serve nine years in prison in October 2024 for allowing an outsider to have access to the election system.
PBS NewsHourColorado Gov. Polis commutes ex-election clerk Tina Peters' sentence after Trump pressure Trump has championed the case of Peters, a 70-year-old former county clerk who was sentenced to nine years behind bars after being convicted in a scheme to make a copy of her county's election computer system. She gets released June 1.
Washington TimesDENVER — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Friday commuted the sentence of election conspiracy theorist Tina Peters following pressure from President Donald Trump, the latest instance of the president using his powers to reward those who echoed his baseless claims of mass fraud as the cause of his 2020 loss.
The Daily WireMay 15 (Reuters) – Colorado Democratic Governor Jared Polis granted clemency on Friday to former county elections clerk Tina Peters, a Trump ally who was convicted of tampering with voting machines as she pursued concerns that the 2020 presidential election had been stolen.
NPR NewsPeters was convicted for her role in facilitating a security breach of Mesa County's voting machines when she was clerk and recorder. The incident occurred six months after the 2020 election, as part of her effort to prove Trump's baseless claims of a rigged election.
New York Post“She committed a crime. She deserves to be a convicted felon,” said Polis, who added that it was important to send the message that “free speech” is supported “in our country” — though the governor added that Peters’ contention about the 2020 results remained “dangerously incorrect.” This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
PoliticoColorado governor says he will grant clemency to Trump-aligned election conspiracy theorist Tina Peters allowed a far-right activist to access her county’s election system to help efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
USA TodayPeters, who was symbolically pardoned by President Donald Trump, was the first election official to be charged with a security breach after the 2020 presidential election. She was imprisoned for allowing access to data in an attempt to prove baseless election denial conspiracies.
BBC NewsColorado's Governor Jared Polis is facing criticism from fellow Democrats after commuting the prison sentence of former county clerk Tina Peters, a 2020 election denier convicted of tampering with election equipment.
RealClearPoliticsGov. Jared Polis commuted the sentence of a woman convicted of crimes tied to tampering with election machines in service of 2020 election conspiracies.
ReutersColorado governor commutes sentence of former county elections clerk Tina Peters - Reuters Colorado governor commutes sentence of former county elections clerk Tina Peters Reuters
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’Affront to the rule of law’ Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat, said “it was a dark day for democracy” and “selling out our state’s justice system for Trump is an affront to the rule of law.”
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BBC NewsColorado's top election official and Secretary of State Jena Griswold called it "an affront to our democracy", while some others warned it could embolden efforts to undermine confidence in future elections.
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The move drew immediate rebuke from Colorado Democrats, including the US senator and former governor John Hickenlooper.
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BBC NewsBut many of his fellow Democrats did not see it the same way. "I strongly disagree with this decision," Democratic Senator of Colorado John Hickenlooper wrote on X. "Reducing her sentence sends the wrong message to those seeking to undermine trust in our elections and it will do nothing to deter Donald Trump's illegal attacks on Colorado."
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Independent claims that didn't surface elsewhere in our corpus. Treat as supplementary — not corroborated across outlets.
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01 BBC News She carried out the breach amid unsubstantiated claims that mass voter fraud had caused Trump to lose the White House in the 2020 presidential election.
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02 The Guardian US Republican congresswoman Lauren Boebert suggested that Donald Trump blocked funds for a clean drinking water project in her state over the prosecution of election denier Tina Peters.
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03 Breitbart In a Truth Social post on March 20, Trump also criticized Colorado, Polis, and “a pathetic RINO District Attorney” for having given Peters a nine-year prison sentence for going “after the Democrats for cheating in the 2020 Presidential Election.”
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04 Fox News The move immediately prompted a blistering response from Griswold, who accused Polis of legitimizing "the election denial movement."
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05 Washington Examiner Polis said he plans to release Tina Peters over free speech concerns rather than Trump’s pressure.
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06 Washington Times The president said Colorado was “suffering a big price” for refusing to release her. His administration has been choking off funds, ending federal programs and denying disaster aid. It also announced the dismantling of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado and relocated the U.S. Space Command to Alabama.
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07 NBC News The term-limited Polis said in January he thought Peters’ sentence was “harsh” but that he wouldn’t let his clemency decisions be driven by presidential directives.
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08 NPR News Polis' decision stands to be deeply unpopular among Democrats and election officials in the state, who urged him not to issue a commutation. However, he said that he focused on the facts, not whether he agreed with Peters.
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09 The Daily Wire “The governor of Colorado is a weak and pathetic man who was run by Tren de Aragua,” Trump said. “The criminals from Venezuela took over sections of Colorado. And he was afraid to do anything, but he puts Tina in jail for nine years because she caught people cheating.”
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