President Donald Trump’s Justice Department has intervened in the case of Tina Peters, a former Mesa County clerk convicted of tampering with Colorado voting machines after the 2020 election. In an unusual move, senior officials from the Justice Department have raised concerns about Peters’ prosecution, suggesting that it may have been politically motivated. Peters, a vocal election denier, was sentenced to nine years in prison for her involvement in a data-breach scheme aimed at supporting Trump’s baseless claims of widespread voter fraud.
Peters’ lawyers have filed a petition in federal court seeking her release on the grounds of constitutional rights violations. The Justice Department has expressed unease over the severity of Peters’ sentence and the denial of bail pending her appeal. While federal intervention in state cases is rare, the DOJ’s involvement underscores the contentious nature of Peters’ conviction and the potential implications for her appeal.
The Colorado attorney general’s office, which views Peters’ conviction as essential for safeguarding election integrity, has not commented on the DOJ’s filing. Peters’ attorney welcomed the federal intervention, claiming that the prosecution targeted her for her criticism of voting systems. The case highlights the intersection of federal and state jurisdiction in high-profile legal disputes and raises questions about the boundaries of federal oversight in state criminal prosecutions.
