Tina Peters Trump’s pardon request in Colorado appeals court judges are skeptical
NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
A Colorado appeals court appeared to question the sentence of a Trump supporter convicted of helping to hack 2020 election machines on Wednesday.
Although the panel’s judges expressed little sympathy for former County Clerk Tina Peters’ attorneys, they also clashed with state attorneys. The judges were critical of the claims that Peters should be held accountable for spreading the 2020 election conspiracy.
“The court cannot punish him because of his First Amendment rights,” said Appellate Judge Craig Welling.
Peters used someone else’s security badge to allow the detective, Conan Hayes, to watch a software update for his district’s election management system. Prosecutors say he made hard drive copies of the program before and after the upgrade, and that partially redone passwords later surfaced online. Hayes was not charged with wrongdoing.
TRUMP TALKS AMNESTY AND 2020 ELECTION – WHAT IMMIGRATION REALLY MEANS
Mesa County Clerk and Colorado Republican candidate for Secretary of State Tina Peters will receive a pardon from President Donald Trump. Peters is serving a nine-year prison sentence after a federal judge convicted him of participating in a scheme to hack Mesa County’s voting system. (Marc Piscotty/Getty Images)
Peter, who was pardoned by President Donald Trump in December, spent his Christmas in a Colorado prison after being sentenced in October 2024 as the state resisted pressure from Trump.
His lawyers, however, argued that the state-level pardon from Gov. Jared Polis is on the way. Trump has threatened the country with the loss of federal funds if Polis does not issue amnesty. Polis, meanwhile, described Peters’ nine-year sentence as severe.
Trump has written several times on social media about Peters’ case, describing him as a “fanatic.”
NEW MOTION DEMANDS DISMISSAL OF COLORADO SECRETARY TINA PETERS, CHALLENGE STATUS AFTER TRUMP’S PARDON
Former Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters was sentenced in 2024. (Hyoung Chang/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
“Instead of protecting the American people and their Tax Dollars, Democrats have chosen to prosecute anyone they deem necessary. Safe and Secure Elections,” Trump wrote. “Democrats have not stopped targeting TINA PETERS, the activist who wanted to make sure our Elections were fair and honest.”
“Tina is sitting in a Colorado prison ‘on the charge’ of seeking Fair Elections,” Trump continued. “Today I offer Tina a full pardon for her efforts to expose Voter Fraud in the 2020 Corrupt Presidential Election!”
In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, Peters’ attorney, Peter Ticktin, said the pardon should apply to federal cases.
President Donald Trump has called for the release of Tina Peters. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
“I have a lot of confidence that the appeal will be decided in favor of Tina,” explained Ticktin. “However, the pardon that was graciously issued by President Trump and for which we are very grateful would have put us in a difficult situation.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
“Contrary to the governor of Colorado, we see amnesty in effect in federal cases,” Peters’ attorney added. “Therefore, the Colorado Court of Appeals may or may not have jurisdiction to hear the appeal, which is pending.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
