Out of Prison?
Former President Donald Trump is demanding that Tina Peters, a woman in prison for election-related crimes, be set free. Peters is serving a nine-year sentence in Colorado for letting unauthorized people access voting machines while trying to prove Trump’s false claim that the 2020 election was rigged.
On his social media site, Truth Social, Trump wrote:
- “FREE TINA PETERS, a brave and innocent Patriot… She did nothing wrong, except catching the Democrats cheat in the Election.”
He also called her “an old woman, and very sick” and warned he would take “harsh measures” if she wasn’t released.
Who Is Tina Peters?
Peters used to be a county clerk in Colorado. In 2023, she was convicted of seven crimes related to election tampering. She had also been arrested in 2022 for trying to kick a police officer serving a warrant.
Colorado Responds
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold strongly rejected Trump’s demand. She said:
“Donald Trump and Tina Peters are election-denying criminals who put their need for power ahead of the American people.”
Griswold also reminded the public that Peters was convicted by a jury and that Trump has tried before to pressure the legal system for his own benefit.
Bigger Picture
This push comes as Trump continues to attack voting rights and elections:
- He recently announced plans to try to eliminate mail-in voting nationwide (which would be unconstitutional).
- He celebrated Texas redrawing its voting maps to give Republicans more power in Congress.
Trump has a history of pardoning or defending people who broke the law in support of him, including rioters from the January 6th Capitol attack. He views Peters the same way—calling her “innocent” even though she was found guilty.