This story was produced as part of the Colorado Capitol News Alliance. It first appeared at cpr.org.
Since her June 1 release from state prison, former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters has kept busy with a visible presence on election denier podcasts, appearances at out-of-state conferences and numerous social media posts. And on Sunday night, she appeared in a nationally televised interview on ‘60 Minutes’, alongside Gov. Jared Polis.
The interview with CBS’s Bill Whitaker was recorded in August. In it, Peters refused to take accountability for the crimes that put her in prison.
At one point in the interview, Whitaker asked Peters, “Did you break the law?” Peters replied, “Did I — are you asking me if I broke the law? They said I broke the law.”
After pointing out she’d been prosecuted by a Republican district attorney in a Republican county, Peters, herself a Republican, responded by saying, “Doesn’t matter.”
Peters’ busy post-release schedule
The appearance caps a media blitz from the former clerk that includes podcast appearances and cross-country travel, most notably, an Oval Office photo opp with President Donald Trump less than a month after she was released from prison.
While Polis’ commutation eliminated the rest of her sentence, Peters is still a convicted felon. She has to communicate about her travel plans with the Department of Corrections Community Parole Supervisor in Grand Junction. CPR obtained messages regarding Peters’ post-release travel through a Colorado Open Records request.
In one email, Dan Ward, community parole supervisor, asked Peters, “I saw at the top of your itinerary “CBS News,” are you meeting with the news? Just curious so I can be ready for phone calls.” Peters replied with information about her trip to Denver for the interview, “I’ll attempt to let you know when it airs. I’ll let you know if I stay longer.”
Polis’ standing in Colorado’s Democratic Party took a hit when he commuted Peters’ sentence. The Party’s Central Committee voted overwhelmingly to censure the sitting governor for it. Critics complained Peters had not taken responsibility for her crimes and expressed fears she would continue to undermine trust in elections.
In the months since, she has done exactly that. Earlier this month Peters personally appealed to President Trump to seize ballots from the states to facilitate recounts after the upcoming Nov. 3rd midterm election. Election officials in Colorado and around the country have said they’re worried her spread of mis- and dis-information could put election workers at risk and sow confusion. They have warned that rhetoric from Peters and her allies could pave the way for future challenges to election results.
It’s not clear how much sway Peters has in Trump’s orbit although he did champion her cause and push Polis to pardon her, which would have been a more significant exoneration than he ended up granting.
Peters’ posts on social media since her release show a public figure who hasn’t slowed down in her effort to demonstrate still-unproven fraud in America’s voting systems.
She attended the “Fraud Fighter Summit” in Las Vegas in June, a gathering sponsored by an organization named “UnAuthorized.” The election fraud event covered topics such as “tabulator vulnerabilities” and “advanced methods for detecting manipulation in election processes.”
Advertised speakers included other known election denier figures like comedian Roseanne Barr and Trump advisor Steve Bannon, along with U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Also in the line up for the event was Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of former president of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro, who is wanted in Brazil for his part in his father’s coup. (On Sunday night, Eduardo’s brother, Flavio Bolsonaro announced he would not accept his loss in the country’s presidential election.)
Peters’ social media feed prominently features a photo of her in the White House with President Trump. She also appeared at the Republican Party’s midterm convention in Dallas, Texas.
Peters’ advocacy and travel may be frustrating to Coloradans still upset with Polis’ decision to release Peters, but it appears it is all allowed under terms of her parole.
According to emails provided to CPR News, Peters hasn’t logged a single parole violation amid all her travel.
“Her parole agreement imposes no restrictions on public speaking, social media, or contact with election officials,” Ward, the community parole supervisor, noted in an email to Colorado Department of Corrections staff.
Emails between Colorado Department of Corrections staff and Peters show the former clerk is diligent about logging her travel schedule — including a stay at The Trump Hotel in Las Vegas for the “Fraud Fighter Summit” last June.
According to a statement from the Colorado Department of Corrections, Peters’ parole agreement does not prohibit her from traveling outside of Colorado as long as she receives approval from her parole officer.
“And she has done so. CDOC has not identified any violations related to her parole supervision. As with all individuals under parole supervision, CDOC evaluates compliance based on the established conditions of parole.”
Lead up to Election Day
When she was released from prison, Peters said she intended to support “election integrity” and elevate the cause of prison reform to help ensure the detention system is more fair and equitable for people of all ages.
Peters' attorney, Peter Ticktin, would not confirm any future endeavors Peters plans to undertake.
“Mr. Ticktin cannot discuss communications with, or on behalf of, his client. Any discussions regarding Ms. Peters, her communications, meetings, or related matters are not topics he is able to address,” said a statement he provided through a spokeswoman.
The 60 Minutes segment on Peters aired nine days before the midterm election, at a time when election officials and Democratic leaders are increasingly concerned about how the Trump administration might try to insert itself into vote counting. Last week, the Department of Justice alerted counties nationwide, including Adams County, that it intends to send election observers on Election Day.
Democratic Congressman Joe Neguse from the 2nd Congressional District said his party is far more prepared for what may come after November than it was after the 2020 presidential election, when Trump’s false claims that the election was stolen fueled the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
“I think there was a failure of imagination in some regards in terms of understanding the nefarious ways that the Trump administration and the sycophants around him would try to subvert a free and fair election,” Neguse said.
