Colorado’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.
Polis, who previously described Peters’ nine-year sentence as “harsh”, announced on Friday that she would be released on parole in June.
Colorado’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.
Moments after the announcement, President Donald Trump, who for months has pushed for her release, wrote on social media: “FREE TINA!”.
Peters, a Republican, was convicted in August 2024 on seven counts for her role in breaching Mesa County’s election computer systems and allowing an unauthorized individual to access voting equipment and election records.
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