Colorado Democratic Party Censures Governor Polis Over Clemency for Former Clerk

The Colorado Democratic Party on Wednesday condemned Democratic Gov. Jared Polis for granting clemency to Tina Peters, a former Mesa County clerk. Peters had faced a nine-year prison sentence after a jury convicted her of breaching an election voting machine in her county following the 2020 election.

The party stated that the sentence reduction occurred under pressure from President Donald Trump and his allies. It said the move harmed the party's credibility on election integrity and set a precedent that reduced consequences for similar actions unless the individual had connections to the president.

The party's committee chair, Shad Murib, had issued a statement on Friday noting that Peters was convicted by a jury and sentenced by a judge who said she would repeat the actions if possible. The Republican district attorney who prosecuted the case described any sentence reduction as a gross injustice.

The party added that it would bar Polis from participating as an honored guest, speaker, or recognized representative until further action. It reaffirmed its commitment to rejecting election denialism and disinformation while recognizing Democrats who protested the clemency.

Republican Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert said Peters would be released next month and return to her family and community.