Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) says he’s considering granting clemency to Tina Peters, a former Mesa County clerk serving time in prison for her role in a data breach to validate President Donald Trump’s 2020 election fraud claim.
“She got a sentence that was harsh. It was a nine-year sentence,” Polis said in an interview with CBS Colorado.
“We always look at people’s sentences, and when you have people that are elderly, and we’re looking at this across a number of people — people in their 70s and 80s in our system — how much of a threat to society are they?” Polis said. “And we balance that in a way that makes sure that they can spend their last few years at home.”
Peters, 70, was convicted on state charges in 2024 for her role in a data breach scheme stemming from election denier claims about voting machine fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
In December, Trump announced on Truth Social that he is issuing Peters a full pardon, stating that she is “sitting in a Colorado prison for the ‘crime’ of demanding Honest Elections.” However, Trump’s pardon powers do not extend to Peters, as she was not convicted on federal charges.
