Colorado Democrats censure Gov. Jared Polis for commuting election denier’s sentence
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- Colorado Democrats voted to censure Governor Jared Polis for commuting the prison sentence of Tina Peters, an election denier convicted of tampering with voting systems.
- The Colorado Democratic Party criticized Polis' decision, saying it sets a dangerous precedent that election tampering has consequences only for those not aligned with powerful figures like Donald Trump.
- Polis reduced Peters' nine-year sentence, citing it as disproportionate, making her eligible for parole on June 1; this move faced backlash from both state and national Democrats.
- Peters was convicted in 2024 for felony and misdemeanor charges related to unauthorized access to voting systems and had been pardoned by Trump in December.
- As part of the censure, Polis is barred from participating as an honored guest or official representative at Colorado Democratic Party events, with his spokesperson defending the decision as based on facts and promoting democratic dialogue.