Trump Threatens "Harsh Measures" for Colorado Over Jailed Election Denier Tina Peters' 9-Year Sentence

Washington D.C. – Former President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Colorado, threatening "harsh measures" if Tina Peters, the former Mesa County Clerk, is not released from prison. Peters is currently serving a nine-year sentence for her role in a 2021 election data-breach scheme. The former president's demand, shared on social media, underscores his continued support for Peters, whom he describes as a "brave and innocent Patriot."

Peters was convicted in August 2024 on seven charges, including four felonies, related to allowing unauthorized access to Mesa County's election systems. Prosecutors stated that Peters, a Republican, became "fixated" on voting problems and facilitated the breach in an attempt to prove false claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Her sentencing in October 2024 resulted in a nine-year prison term.

In his social media post, Trump asserted, > "Let Tina Peters out of jail, RIGHT NOW. She did nothing wrong, except catching the Democrats cheat in the Election. She is an old woman, and very sick. If she is not released, I am going to take harsh measures!!!" He has consistently championed Peters, aligning her case with his broader narrative of a stolen 2020 election.

Despite Trump's threats, legal experts confirm he lacks the authority to pardon state-level convictions. Colorado officials have strongly rejected the former president's demands. Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold stated, "Trump’s feeble attempts to put pressure on the justice system to rewrite history is an embarrassment." Denver Clerk and Recorder Paul López emphasized that states, not the federal executive branch, hold the constitutional authority to determine election procedures.

During Peters' sentencing, District Court Judge Matthew Barrett delivered a scathing rebuke, stating, "You are no hero, you abused your position, and you’re a charlatan who used and is still using your prior position in office to peddle a snake oil that’s been proven to be a snake oil time and time again." Peters' legal team has filed a federal habeas corpus petition, arguing for her release on bond pending appeal, citing First Amendment violations, but a federal magistrate judge rejected her motion in July 2025, noting a lack of legal precedent for such a request.