{"id":2523179,"date":"2025-12-19T08:04:01","date_gmt":"2025-12-19T13:04:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-pardoned-70-year-old-election-clerk-gov-polis-should-too\/"},"modified":"2025-12-19T08:07:38","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T13:07:38","slug":"trump-pardoned-70-year-old-election-clerk-gov-polis-should-too","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-pardoned-70-year-old-election-clerk-gov-polis-should-too\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump Pardoned 70-Year-Old Election Clerk, Gov. Polis Should Too"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-pardoned-70-year-old-election-clerk-gov-polis-should-too%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2523179&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters was convicted in 2024 on multiple state charges for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/how-illegals-can-create-entirely-new-identities-at-tsa-checkpoints\/\" title=\"How unauthorized individuals can establish new identities at TSA checkpoints\">allowing unauthorized access<\/a> to election equipment in an attempt to expose alleged 2020 election fraud. She was sentenced to nine years in prison, sparking controversy and accusations of political motivation from Peters and her supporters.President Donald Trump issued a symbolic full pardon for Peters, but Colorado officials, including Democrat Governor Jared Polis, rejected it&#8217;s validity, asserting that a presidential pardon does not apply to state crimes. In response, Peters&#8217; supporters launched a public petition urging Polis to grant her clemency before Christmas, citing her nonviolent record, age, and health issues. Conservative commentator Kim Monson is leading the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >petition campaign emphasizing mercy<\/a> and compassion during the holiday season. The situation highlights ongoing political divides over election integrity and clemency powers at state versus federal levels.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>President Donald Trump recently <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/us-news\/law\/trump-issues-symbolic-pardon-for-colorado-election-clerk-d352ef59?mod=Searchresults&amp;pos=1&amp;page=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">announced<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/115703610330402175\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a full pardon<\/a> for Tina Peters, the former Mesa County clerk and recorder convicted on state charges related to a 2021 election system breach. In swift response, Colorado&rsquo;s Democrat leadership <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/us-news\/law\/trump-issues-symbolic-pardon-for-colorado-election-clerk-d352ef59?mod=Searchresults&amp;pos=1&amp;page=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">asserted<\/a> that Trump lacks the authority to issue pardons for state crimes. This has sparked a movement among Peters&rsquo; supporters, who are now circulating a <a href=\"https:\/\/kimmonson.com\/tina-peters-petition\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">public petition<\/a> urging Democrat Gov. Jared Polis to grant her mercy before Christmas.<\/p>\n<p>Peters was <a href=\"https:\/\/coloradosun.com\/2024\/10\/03\/tina-peters-election-security-trial-sentenced\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">convicted<\/a> in 2024 on <a href=\"https:\/\/electionfraud.heritage.org\/case\/201683\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">seven counts<\/a>, including attempting to influence a public servant, after allowing unauthorized access to voting equipment in an effort to uncover alleged fraud in the 2020 election. Judge Matthew Barrett of the 21st Judicial District sentenced Peters to nine years in prison, labeling her &ldquo;a charlatan&rdquo; and &ldquo;a danger to all of us.&rdquo; Despite this, Peters and her attorneys <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/pro-trump-clerk-convicted-2020-election-scheme-threatened-attacked-prison-lawyer-says\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">firmly assert<\/a> her innocence, claiming the charges were driven by political motives and that her sole aim was to safeguard free and fair elections.<\/p>\n<p>Mike Davis, founder and president of the Article III Project, <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/11\/05\/judge-throws-the-book-at-69-year-old-tina-peters-for-minor-infraction-because-she-believes-the-2020-election-was-stolen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">asserted<\/a> that Peters was both overcharged and over-sentenced because Colorado state laws allow her to access and archive the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/colorado-clerk-who-pushed-election-fraud-theory-found-guilty-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Colorado clerk who pushed election fraud theory found guilty - Washington Examiner\">election system&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s hard drive. Most important, he states, &ldquo;Peters altered no election results. Not one vote was changed because of her actions.&rdquo; Davis also emphasizes that the nine-year sentence is not only excessively harsh, but he finds Judge Barrett&rsquo;s decision to require Peters to spend the first six months in the all-population Mesa County Detention Center particularly troubling. This facility offers no separate accommodations for nonviolent offenders like Peters.<\/p>\n<p>Peters reportedly had no prior history of criminal conduct <a href=\"https:\/\/kimmonson.com\/tina-peters-petition\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">except for a traffic ticket<\/a> before this case. Additionally, the 70-year-old (she was 69 when charged and sentenced) <a href=\"https:\/\/coloradosun.com\/2024\/10\/03\/tina-peters-election-security-trial-sentenced\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reportedly<\/a> grapples with several health conditions, including fibromyalgia and a previous lung cancer diagnosis, which has left her occasionally short of breath. This context underscores the need for a more compassionate approach to her case.<\/p>\n<p>Peters&rsquo; lawyers and supporters have been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/pro-trump-clerk-convicted-2020-election-scheme-threatened-attacked-prison-lawyer-says\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">lobbying<\/a> Trump for a presidential pardon. In conjunction with this effort, Peters filed a federal lawsuit asking to be released on bond while her appeal is reviewed. Last Monday, Federal Magistrate Judge Scott Varholak <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/colorado-clerk-tina-peters-2020-election-ca614ef134fbfb0d5d1e64c1aaf74330\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">denied<\/a> Peters&rsquo; request, emphasizing that it is the responsibility of state courts, not federal courts, to determine her sentence.<\/p>\n<p>After Trump issued his pardon for Peters a few days later, Colorado state officials, including Democrat Gov. Jared Polis, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/us-news\/law\/trump-issues-symbolic-pardon-for-colorado-election-clerk-d352ef59?mod=Searchresults&amp;pos=1&amp;page=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">voiced their strong objections<\/a>. They argued that presidential authority does not extend to state law and that a president cannot pardon someone for state-level convictions. Other state officials, as well as the Colorado County Clerk Association, <a href=\"https:\/\/coloradosun.com\/2025\/11\/25\/tina-peters-jared-polis-colorado-country-clerks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">also<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coloradopolitics.com\/2025\/11\/21\/gov-jared-polis-urged-to-deny-request-for-tina-peters-transfer-to-federal-prison\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">urged<\/a> Polis to deny the Federal Bureau of Prisons&rsquo; request to transfer Peters from a state prison to a federal facility.<\/p>\n<p>In response to the pardon impasse, conservative Colorado radio host Kim Monson has launched an <a href=\"https:\/\/kimmonson.com\/tina-peters-petition\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">online petition<\/a>, calling Polis to show &ldquo;kindness, compassion, and mercy&rdquo; by pardoning Tina Peters by Christmas Eve. This would enable Peters to visit her 97-year-old mother on Christmas and receive necessary medical treatment.<\/p>\n<p>Citing a report from a liberal newspaper, <a href=\"https:\/\/coloradosun.com\/2024\/12\/20\/jared-polis-2025-clemency-power\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Colorado Sun<\/a>, Monson highlights that Polis has issued pardons in each year of his governorship. In the previous year alone, Polis pardoned 22 individuals and commuted the sentences of another four right before Christmas. Among those who received commutations were two convicted of first-degree murder and one with a significant rap sheet that included a sexual assault.<\/p>\n<p>Monson contends that since Polis has demonstrated willingness to use his clemency powers for those with violent pasts, he should extend the same compassion to a first-time, nonviolent offender like Peters. Monson is encouraging the community to sign an online petition, which has already garnered nearly 2,000 signatures from people across America. The petition will close at 9 a.m. on Dec. 22. Monson plans to print the petition, have it notarized, and personally deliver it to the governor&rsquo;s office that afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>The timing is intentional, reflecting the deeper meaning of the holiday season &mdash; a time for forgiveness, redemption, and compassion.<\/p>\n<p>As Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus &mdash; who offered mercy to the undeserving and suffered to bring salvation &mdash; Monson and other Peters supporters call on Gov. Polis to reflect that spirit. In a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-app-lets-you-see-just-how-left-wing-products-are-as-you-grocery-shop\/\" title=\"Check out the new app that reveals the left-wingness of products while you shop!\">divided political landscape<\/a>, acts of grace can bridge divides and affirm shared values of humanity. Whether Polis heeds this plea remains to be seen, but the campaign underscores a poignant appeal for kindness amid ongoing ideological divisions.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<div>\n<p>      Helen Raleigh, CFA, is an American entrepreneur, writer, and speaker. She&#8217;s a senior contributor at The Federalist. Her writings appear in other national media, including The Wall Street Journal and Fox News.  Helen is the author of several books, including &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Confucius-Never-Said-Helen-Raleigh\/dp\/1499185278\/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&amp;keywords=Helen+Raleigh+Confucius+Never+Said&amp;qid=1606079469&amp;sr=8-1\">Confucius Never Said<\/a>&#8221; and &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Backlash-How-Chinas-Aggression-Backfired\/dp\/1736008501\/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=1606006113&amp;sr=8-1\">Backlash: How Communist China&#8217;s Aggression Has Backfired<\/a>.&#8221; Her latest book is &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Not-Outsiders-Americans-political-activism\/dp\/1736008552\">Not Outsiders: Asian Americans&rsquo; political activism from the 19th century to today<\/a>.&rdquo; Follow her on Twitter: @HRaleighspeaks.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump pardons Tina Peters; Colorado Dems dispute authority<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":536,"featured_media":2523180,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Copy-of-Untitled-2025-12-17T184238.937.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546,33651],"tags":[22725,69095,69096,51796,3634],"class_list":["post-2523179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist","category-the-western-journal","tag-clemency","tag-election-clerk","tag-gov-polis","tag-pardon-2","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Copy-of-Untitled-2025-12-17T184238.937.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2523179","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/536"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2523179"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2523179\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2523183,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2523179\/revisions\/2523183"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2523180"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2523179"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2523179"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2523179"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}