(The Center Square) – Colorado Democrats urged Gov. Jared Polis not to grant Tina Peters, the former Mesa County clerk sentenced to nine years in prison over her role in allowing unauthorized access to the county’s voting machines, clemency or commute her sentence in a letter sent Wednesday.
Polis signaled last week that he’s considering clemency for Peters.
All 66 Democrats in the state House and Senate signed on to the letter urging Polis to allow an appeal in Peters’ case to play out. They also said Peters “refuses to take accountability for her crimes and continues to push election-denial conspiracy theories” and expressed concern that granting her clemency would “further embolden these conspiracies.
“We ask for your approach to consider – beyond all else – that the impacts of your decision ripple far beyond fairness in carceral sentencing,” the letter stated. “This is not about any of us, or you, or even Ms. Peters. This is about the security and assuredness of our elections as a whole. This is about the future of our democracy, and of free and fair elections in our nation. We ask you to stand with us in safeguarding that future.”
In a post on his personal X account last week, Polis pointed to “sentencing disparities” between Peters and former state Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis, who was recently sentenced to probation and community service over four felony convictions, including attempting to influence a public official. That was a charge Peters was also convicted of.
“It is not lost on me that she was convicted of the exact same felony charge as Tina Peters — attempting to influence a public official — and yet Tina Peters, as a non-violent first time offender got a nine year sentence,” he wrote on X. “Justice in Colorado and America needs to be applied evenly, you never know when you might need to depend on the rule of law. This is the context I am using as I consider cases like this that have sentencing disparities, which is why I have extended the deadline for clemency applications until April 3rd. I will be making decisions on these cases throughout the remainder of my governorship.”
Polis’s office did not respond to The Center Square’s request to comment on the letter.
While a state court is considering Peters’ appeal over sentencing, her attorney told 9News this week she “has remorse” for her actions.
President Donald Trump has advocated for Peters’ release, pardoning her in December despite the convictions being in state court.
The White House when reached for comment directed The Center Square to a social media post of Trump saying “FREE TINA PETERS!”
