Colorado officials stated Wednesday they do not intend to transfer former Mesa County โClerk Tina Peters to federal custody,despite a request from federal authorities. The decision comes amid โongoing concerns from Colorado county clerks who fear Peters’ potential testimonyโ could further erode trust in the stateS election system.
Peters, a vocal proponent of unsubstantiated claimsโฃ of election fraud, faces โfederal charges related to a security breachโ of Mesaโ County’s voting equipment. County clerks across the political spectrum have expressedโฃ concern that a transfer to federal control wouldโฃ allow Peters to publicly disseminate herโฃ claims without state oversight, perhaps endangering election workers โขand undermining confidence in future elections.
John Case, another attorney representing Peters, โคsaid Colorado officials appear โto want to keep her incarcerated in stateโฃ prison “where sheโ cannot testify or speak publicly” about computer voting software.โ
The Colorado County โขClerks Association has urged Gov. Jared Polis to reject the federal transfer request. Matt Crane, the association’s executive director, noted the state corrections department ultimately operates under the governor’s โdirection.
A spokesperson for Gov. Polis,Shelby wieman,released a statement Tuesday praising the integrityโ of Colorado’s election system and stating the governor welcomes โa meeting with clerks regarding the transfer request,but did not directly โaddress whether it would be approved.Wieman added, “Governor Polis takes his responsibilities seriously and has been clear that he โขwill take threats from the federal government head-on – especially when they undermine our democracy.”
Crane expressed dissatisfactionโข with a recent statement from the Department of โCorrections, stating itโ did not alleviate โthe clerks’ concerns. The situationโ remains fluid asโ Colorado officials weigh the implicationsโ of transferring Peters toโ federal custody.
