Colorado Governor Calls Trump’s Pardon of Voting Whistleblower “Irrelevant” for State Convictions

Colorado Democratic Governor Jared Polis has dismissed President Donald Trump’s pardon of Tina Peters as irrelevant, stressing that presidential clemency does not apply to state convictions.

Polis stated Thursday night that Peters, the former Mesa County clerk who remains incarcerated at La Vista Correctional Facility pending appeal, was convicted by a jury of her peers and found guilty under Colorado law for criminal impersonation and other offenses.

“The pardon has no application to state law,” Polis said. “No President has jurisdiction over state convictions or the power to pardon someone for breaking state laws. This matter belongs to the courts, and we will follow judicial decisions.”

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani asserted that Trump’s pardon carries federal implications, noting it prevents the federal government from pursuing charges against Peters.

Peters gained national attention among election-integrity activists following her 2021 conviction related to a breach of voting-machine equipment. In a Thursday statement, Trump declared: “Tina is sitting in a Colorado prison for the ‘crime’ of demanding Honest Elections. Today I am granting Tina a full Pardon for her attempts to expose Voter Fraud in the Rigged 2020 Presidential Election.”

The security incident occurred in Mesa County when confidential voting-machine data was copied and leaked online, violating state protocols. Prosecutors alleged Peters permitted unauthorized access during a software update and facilitated copying of restricted Dominion Voting Systems software.

In August 2024, a Colorado jury convicted Peters of attempting to influence a public servant, criminal impersonation, first-degree official misconduct, and related offenses tied to the election management system breach. She was sentenced to nine years in prison with parole eligibility later this year.

Peters and her supporters maintain she acted as a whistleblower seeking to expose vulnerabilities in election systems. Colorado officials counter that her actions endangered election security and violated access protocols designed to protect voting equipment.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser reiterated: “Tina Peters is in Colorado state prison because she broke the law and was convicted by a jury of her peers. In Colorado, no one is above the law. I’m not afraid of Donald Trump or his political pressure.”

Trump has repeatedly argued that Peters was targeted due to her alignment with investigations into alleged irregularities in the 2020 presidential election.