Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis commuted the sentence of Tina Peters on Friday, a former county clerk who questioned the 2020 election outcome and was facing nine years in prison.
Peters was sentenced to prison for nearly a decade for a 2021 security breach of election voting machines in Mesa County, Colorado. Peters, who is now set to be released on parole June 1, had also been convicted of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, official misconduct, violation of duty, and failure to comply with the Secretary of State requirements. (RELATED: ROOKE: Colorado Goes After Election-Questioning Grandmas Harder Than Violent Criminals)
Peters’ mandatory release date would have been set for 2033, but she was also eligible for parole in 2028.
Although her sentence was commuted by a Democrat, her upcoming release was welcomed by allies of President Donald Trump like Republican Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert, who called it a “long-overdue step toward justice.”
SEDALIA, CO – JUNE 28: Mesa County Clerk and Colorado Republican candidate for secretary of state Tina Peters reacts to early election returns during a primary night watch party at the Wide Open Saloon on June 28, 2022 in Sedalia, Colorado. Peters lost to former Jefferson County Clerk Pam Anderson, who will move on to face Democratic incumbent Jena Griswold. (Photo by Marc Piscotty/Getty Images)
“Tina Peters, a proud Gold Star mother who lost her Navy SEAL son in service to our nation, dedicated election integrity advocate, and former Mesa County Clerk, was subjected to a politically charged prosecution that resulted in a nine-year sentence meant to make an example out of her,” Boebert said in a statement on X.
“I’m proud of the relentless pressure my office and I applied, working hand-in-hand with President Donald Trump, to highlight Tina’s case and demand fairness,” Boebert added. “This outcome would not have been possible without the continued pressure and advocacy from President Trump, who always knew Tina deserved fairness under the law.” (RELATED: Colorado Secretary Of State Website Posts ‘Partial Passwords’ To Voting Systems, Assures Public ‘No Security Breach’)
While Trump’s allies championed Peters’ imminent release, Polis insisted her commutation was not to appease the president, but instead because “she was given an unusually harsh sentence.”
“She committed a crime; she deserves to be a convicted felon,” Polis told the New York Times.
“I think it’s an important message we send out, that supports free speech in our country.”
Trump chimed in on Peters’ commutation with a straightforward, “FREE TINA!”
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