In an interview with USA TODAY, Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis said Tina Peters “deserved to be in prison and a convicted felon,” but “her sentence was simply too long.”
President Trump pardons Rudy Giuliani and others over 2020 election claims
President Donald Trump has pardoned former lawyer Rudy Giuliani and dozens of others in a sweeping clemency package related to 2020 election claims.
Colorado Democratic Governor Jared Polis on May 15 commuted the sentence of Tina Peters, a woman convicted of crimes related to Colorado election machine tampering.
Peters, who was symbolically pardoned by President Donald Trump, became the first election official to be charged with security violations after the 2020 presidential election. While serving as an election official in Mesa County, Colorado, she was jailed for illegally allowing access to data in an effort to prove a baseless conspiracy to deny the election.
“I think it’s important to send a message that no matter what your beliefs are, no matter what your speech is, you will be punished fairly under the law, and that’s really what this case is about,” Polis told USA TODAY in an exclusive interview.
He noted that the Court of Appeals had separately determined that Peters’ nearly nine-year prison sentence was based on improper consideration of her free speech rights. When Ms. Polis’ case for a reduced sentence was handed down, the trial judge was prepared to be angry with her.
Peters will serve more than four years in prison and is scheduled for parole on June 1. She posted an apology on social media on May 15, saying she had “made a mistake” and that she would “support election integrity” and legally push for prison reform.
“I learned and grew during my time in prison, and I will now make sure that my actions always comply with the law,” Peters said.
Polis confirmed to USA TODAY that in addition to President Trump’s public efforts to secure a pardon for Peters, the president personally petitioned the governor. But he said that made it more difficult, not easier, to grant Peters clemency.
“Thousands of people called our office to speak out about this case. Some thought she was wrongly convicted, which I disagree with. Others thought she should have been in prison longer,” he said. “What I concluded was that her sentence was simply too long, but she deserved to go to prison and become a convicted felon.”
“Torts only breed more torts”: Critics’ reaction
Colorado Secretary of State Jenna Griswold, a Democrat, said in a statement that the cuts were an “insult” to democracy.
“The governor’s actions today legitimize and embolden the election denial movement and will leave a dark and dangerous mark on American democracy for years to come,” Griswold said.
Griswold’s office is responsible for overseeing Colorado’s elections and managing voter registration files across the state.
Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet, who is running for Colorado governor, said in a statement that he “vehemently” opposes the cuts.
“Illegal acts only breed more illegal acts, and as President Trump continues his attacks on Colorado, we must do everything in our power to protect our institutions and the rule of law,” Bennett said.
“We all need to take a breath,” Polis says.
Polis, who is already serving his second consecutive term, is not eligible to run for reelection as governor of Colorado under the state constitution. There was speculation that his move to support Peters indicated he had no intention of running for national office, but he declined to comment on whether he had any future national political ambitions.
But Polis said Democrats, like Republicans, can make mistakes when it comes to seeking criminal penalties based on personal disagreements.
“The way to counter unpopular and wrong views is through debate and discourse, not by locking up those who disagree,” he said.
The appeals court, which ordered the trial court to reconsider Peters’ sentence, said the trial judge’s consideration of her belief in the existence of election fraud in 2020 went beyond what was relevant to her sentencing. The public judge said Ms Peters’ “words” were particularly damaging because she was in a position of influence and made new claims each time her convictions were refuted.
While trial courts can consider the need to deter criminal defendants from committing future crimes during sentencing, the appeals court said that because Peters is no longer an election official, he can no longer commit the crimes that led to his conviction, even if he continues to assert his election fraud claims.
Polis said he agrees Peters’ views played an inappropriate role in her sentencing.
“I think we all need to take a breath and realize that people should be punished for the crimes they commit, not for who they are or what they believe,” he added.
Contributor: Zach Hillstrom and Kathryn Palmer – USA TODAY Network
(This article has been updated with additional information.)
