State Clemency and Executive Power

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said in a CBS News interview that he is reviewing former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters’ clemency request like any other case and will not let President Donald Trump’s repeated demands to free her influence his decision. Peters, convicted on seven state felony counts tied to unauthorized access to voting machines and sentenced in October 2024 to nine years in prison, has been the focus of Trump’s election‑fraud narrative, and Trump even announced a 'pardon' that has no legal effect on her state convictions. Polis outlined the factors he is weighing — Peters’ status as a nonviolent, first‑time, older offender versus her refusal to accept responsibility — and stressed that dozens of other clemency petitions are being evaluated under the same criteria. The governor also contrasted such nonviolent cases with violent offenders, saying he struggles more with releasing people convicted of serious physical crimes but is not afraid to make difficult decisions. Peters continues to insist she did nothing wrong and was trying to expose voter fraud, despite the lack of evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election.