Tina Peters, a 70-year-old former county clerk, is facing a harrowing reality behind bars. Convicted on state charges related to a 2020 election denial scheme, Peters is now reportedly the target of violent attacks and threats from fellow inmates while serving a nine-year sentence.
Her attorney, Peter Ticktin, paints a disturbing picture of Peters’ ordeal within the prison system. He alleges she was first threatened with a brutal assault – a coordinated plan to stab and kill her – prompting an FBI and Department of Justice investigation and a transfer to a different unit.
The move, however, didn’t guarantee safety. Ticktin claims Peters was subsequently attacked three separate times in the new unit, requiring correctional officers to physically intervene and pull inmates off of her. Each incident escalated the danger she faced.
Despite repeated requests, Peters has been denied placement in a designated “safe unit” reserved for inmates who pose no threat to others. These denials, Ticktin asserts, have occurred six times without any justifiable explanation, leaving her vulnerable and exposed.
Ticktin recently addressed a letter to former President Donald Trump, detailing Peters’ plight and arguing for a potential pardon. He believes Trump possesses the authority to intervene, even in a state-level conviction, based on a specific interpretation of the Constitution’s pardon power.
The core of Ticktin’s argument rests on the idea of a unified “United States,” suggesting the pardon power extends beyond federal offenses. He contends the phrasing of the Constitution allows for broader application than commonly understood.
Peters’ conviction stemmed from a scheme to breach Mesa County’s voting systems following the 2020 election. A state jury found her guilty of participating in the effort to undermine the integrity of the electoral process, a case that garnered national attention.
Earlier this year, Peters attempted to secure her release through a lawsuit, claiming her free speech rights were violated. However, Judge Scott Varholak dismissed the case, upholding the original conviction and sentencing.
Peters stands as the only known Trump ally to receive a prison sentence directly related to the widespread 2020 election denial movement. She has consistently maintained her innocence and received vocal support from the former president.
Trump has publicly denounced Peters’ imprisonment, labeling it a “Communist persecution” orchestrated by Democrats to conceal alleged election crimes. He contrasted her treatment with efforts to secure the release of an MS-13 terrorist from El Salvador.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, has firmly rejected any possibility of a pardon for Peters. He stated he would not engage in any arrangement with Trump that would circumvent her accountability under Colorado law, emphasizing the importance of upholding the legal process.
