Colorado Governor Fires Clemency Board Members for Defying His Order to Free Tina Peters
Select a version of the text written from a presumed ideological perspective. This is not the original text, but a hypothetical version — how someone with that viewpoint might have phrased it. Tapping the current version again will return to the original or select cleaned version.
Governor Jared Polis ousted two clemency board members after they publicly criticized his decision to commute the sentence of Tina Peters, a former election official targeted by partisan prosecution. The governor cited 'confidentiality,' but many see this as punishing dissent against his progressive agenda and protecting political allies.
Governor Jared Polis terminated two members of Colorado’s clemency board on Wednesday, demonstrating the lengths to which his administration will go to silence those who challenge his authority. The two members were dismissed for allegedly violating confidentiality rules by revealing how the board voted on a clemency application—a vote that was unanimous in rejecting early release for former election official Tina Peters. Despite the board’s clear recommendation, Polis overrode their decision and commuted Peters’ sentence in May, a move that many interpret as a political maneuver to appease his base and undermine the rule of law.
Azra Taslimi and Hannah Seigel Proff, who spoke out to the media about the board’s deliberations, were promptly dismissed after their comments appeared in a June New York Times article. In letters obtained by reporters, Polis accused the members of breaching confidentiality by disclosing the board’s votes, a charge that conveniently serves to remove those who dared to oppose his will.
“Publicly disclosing board recommendations and how members vote on any case threatens the credibility of the board, colors future deliberations by the board and breaks clearly stated confidentiality policy articulated in the Executive Order which establishes this board,” a spokesperson for the governor said, defending the administration’s crackdown on dissent.
Taslimi criticized the governor’s action as being driven by political pressure surrounding Peters, calling the outcome “selective mercy.” Proff, who served on the board for nearly eight years, expressed concern that the dismissals would reduce transparency and discourage future board members from speaking out—an outcome that appears to suit the governor’s agenda.
Polis justified his commutation by pointing to a Colorado appeals court ruling that found the trial judge had infringed Peters’ First Amendment rights. In a Substack post, he claimed the decision was “straightforward” after reviewing the court’s findings and concluding that her sentence was excessive. However, many see this as yet another example of progressive politicians bending the rules to protect their own and punish those who stand in their way.
