Mesa County Clerk and Colorado Republican candidate for secretary of state Tina Peters will receive a pardon from President Donald Trump. Peters is serving a nine-year sentence after a state jury convicted her of participating in a scheme to breach the Mesa County voting systems. (Photo by Marc Piscotty/Getty Images)
Earlier this week, a federal judge refused to release Peters, 70, from prison.
She has been serving a nine-year sentence after a state jury convicted her of participating in a scheme to breach the Mesa County voting systems. She filed a lawsuit seeking her release earlier this year, arguing that her free speech rights had been violated, but Judge Scott Varholak rejected the motion on Monday.
"Ms. Peters raises important constitutional questions concerning whether the trial court improperly punished her more severely because of her protected First Amendment speech," Varholak wrote. "But because this question remains pending before Colorado courts, this Court must abstain from answering that question until after the Colorado courts have decided the issue."
Peter Ticktin, Peters' attorney, said he was formally notified of the pardon Thursday.
President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the Oval Office of the White House Nov. 17, 2025. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)
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Colorado Gov. Jared Polis previously vowed not to pardon Peters as part of any deal with Trump, saying she needed to be held accountable.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Colorado Democratic and Republican parties, as well as the governor’s office.
Louis Casiano is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to louis.casiano@fox.com.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-announces-pardon-colorado-clerk-simply-wanted-make-sure-our-elections-were-fair