Former Colorado Clerk Tina Peters Appeals Conviction Amid Pardon Controversy
Tina Peters, former Mesa County Clerk, seeks to overturn her conviction for election data breach, citing a presidential pardon and alleged trial errors.
Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters is appealing her 2024 conviction for orchestrating a breach of Colorado's voting system. Her legal team argues that her actions were intended to preserve election data and should not have led to criminal charges. Peters was sentenced to nine years in prison for allowing unauthorized access to voting equipment in an attempt to uncover evidence of election fraud following the 2020 presidential election.
In December 2025, President Donald Trump issued a pardon for Peters. However, presidential pardons do not extend to state convictions. Peters' attorneys contend that historical precedents, such as President George Washington's pardons during the Whiskey Rebellion, support their case for the pardon’s applicability. They are also challenging the sentencing, noting that a related contempt conviction was overturned, which they believe should impact the severity of her sentence.
Prosecutors maintain that Peters' actions compromised proprietary software and were unnecessary, as election records had already been backed up. Judge Matthew Barrett, who presided over the case, emphasized Peters' role in spreading misinformation as justification for her sentence.
The case has garnered significant attention within election conspiracy circles, with heightened tensions including threats of protests. Governor Jared Polis has indicated potential clemency, describing the penalty as severe. Peters has disavowed any planned violent actions in her name.
Source
ABC NewsFact-checking
Fact-check the facts of the article using external sources and databases.