Colorado Governor Removes Two Clemency Board Members Over Confidentiality Breach

Governor Jared Polis fired Hannah Seigel Proff and Azra Taslimi from Colorado's Executive Clemency Advisory Board on Wednesday, citing a breach of confidentiality after the attorneys disclosed the board’s votes on the case of former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters. The dismissals were confirmed in letters obtained by the New York Times.

Peters, who was convicted of four felonies for providing election-denier Mike Lindell access to Mesa County’s voting system following the 2020 election, was sentenced to nine years in prison in October 2024. Polis commuted her sentence in May, arguing that her punishment was harsher than comparable cases and that she was being penalized for her speech. Peters was released on June 1 and has since appeared on conservative media and met with former President Donald Trump.

In mid-June, Seigel Proff and Taslimi spoke to the press and authored an opinion piece stating that the advisory board had unanimously recommended denying clemency to Peters. They criticized Polis for ignoring the board’s recommendation and for a perceived pattern of disregarding its advice.

Polis’ office announced the appointment of two new board members to fill the vacancies. In a statement, spokesperson Eric Maruyama said the clemency process requires “thoughtful review, unbiased consideration, and the utmost confidentiality for the applicants.” He added that publicly revealing board recommendations undermines credibility and violates the confidentiality policy outlined in the governing executive order.

When asked about Peters’ post-release activities, Maruyama responded that the governor is focused on addressing Colorado’s ongoing wildfire emergencies rather than the former clerk’s meetings with political figures.