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Colorado Democratic Party censures Jared Polis over Tina Peters clemency
TL;DR
Colorado Democrats censured Governor Jared Polis for granting clemency to Tina Peters, a former clerk convicted of election-related crimes. The party stated this decision undermines their efforts to maintain election integrity and credibility.
Key points
- Colorado Democrats censured Gov. Jared Polis
- Clemency granted to Tina Peters, a convicted former county clerk
- Peters undermined election integrity by allowing unauthorized access
- State spent nearly one million dollars to replace compromised equipment
- Decision harmed the party's credibility and efforts to defend democracy
Mentioned in this story
Jared PolisTina PetersColorado Democratic PartyMesa CountyMike Lindell
Colorado Democrats censured Gov. Jared Polis late Wednesday for his decision to grant clemency to Tina Peters, a former county clerk who is serving a prison sentence after being convicted of allowing unauthorized access to voting machines in the aftermath of the 2020 election.
The two-term governor’s decision, which he made last week, “materially harmed the Colorado Democratic Party’s institutional credibility and efforts to defend democratic institutions and election integrity,” the party said in a statement.
“Colorado has spent years building trust in our elections and proving they are secure,” the party said. “At a time when democracy and voting rights are under attack across the nation, weakening accountability for someone convicted of undermining that trust is a mistake.”
Peters was sentenced to roughly nine years in prison in 2024 after being convicted of state charges of assisting in the breach of state election equipment. Peters allowed a man affiliated with Mike Lindell, a conspiracy theorist aligned with President Donald Trump, to access Mesa County election systems.
The state was forced to spend nearly one million dollars to replace it all, Secretary of State Jena Griswold said.
In the years since, her case has become a rallying cry for Republicans who continue to falsely insist that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Trump. Trump himself has championed Peters’ cause.
“The Governor made this decision based on the facts of the case and what he believed was the right thing to do,” Eric Maruyama, Polis’ press secretary, said in a statement. “Sometimes the right thing isn’t the popular thing with everybody. Democracy is strongest when disagreement is met with debate and dialogue, not censorship.”
Polis shortened Peters’ sentence from nine years to 4.5, and she is eligible for parole soon. The governor, who has been careful to insist that his move to halve Peters’ prison term did not constitute a pardon, told CNN last week that the 2024 sentence was draconian and connected to Peters’ political beliefs.
“There should be no consideration of what we say — how unpopular it is, how inaccurate it is — in sentencing or in criminal proceedings,” he said.
But Democrats, including Polis’ potential successor in Colorado, were harshly critical of his decision.
Q&A
Why did Colorado Democrats censure Jared Polis?
Colorado Democrats censured Jared Polis for granting clemency to Tina Peters, which they believe harmed the party's credibility and efforts to protect election integrity.
What was Tina Peters convicted of?
Tina Peters was convicted of allowing unauthorized access to voting machines and was sentenced to approximately nine years in prison.
How much did Colorado spend to replace election equipment due to Peters' actions?
Colorado spent nearly one million dollars to replace the election equipment that Peters compromised.
