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DENVER (AP) — The Department of Justice has expressed its support for Tina Peters, a former county election clerk in Colorado convicted for enabling access to confidential data from the 2020 election by supporters of President Donald Trump. This action signifies the administration’s ongoing efforts to utilize federal authority to assist individuals associated with Trump who may have breached legal boundaries on his behalf.
Acting U.S. Assistant Attorney General Yaakov M. Roth filed a motion in federal court in Colorado this week advocating for Peters, who is seeking release from jail while appealing her conviction related to a security breach during the 2021 election. Roth highlighted that “reasonable concerns” about Peters’ prosecution had arisen and noted that it was one of several cases that the federal government is assessing for potential misuse of the justice system.
Peters has become a prominent figure among those who propagate Trump’s unfounded claims of election fraud, particularly concerning his loss in the 2020 election. Her backers are urging the new Republican administration to petition Colorado’s Democratic Governor Jared Polis for a pardon.
The Justice Department’s involvement in Peters’ case marks a significant shift in its strategy, as the federal government seeks to intervene in a state prosecution initiated by a Republican district attorney. This action goes beyond previous federal endorsements of the president’s agenda.
Historically, Trump granted clemency to over a thousand individuals convicted in relation to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Additionally, he appointed Ed Martin, an attorney who represented some of those defendants, as the acting U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. Martin has since indicated intentions to investigate Democratic officials and others critical of Trump’s policies. Furthermore, the Justice Department has made moves to dismiss corruption charges against New York City’s Democratic mayor, suggesting those charges were politicized and necessary for cooperation on immigration enforcement.
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold criticized the Trump administration’s actions, stating that the involvement of the Justice Department in Peters’ case is an attempt to distort the narrative of past events and normalize unfounded conspiracies regarding election integrity. “Shame on them for weaponizing the legal system to push their election lies,” she remarked.
The security breach in Mesa County enabled sensitive details about its voting system to be disseminated online. Experts have characterized this incident as severe, potentially creating opportunities for vulnerabilities to be exploited in future elections.
At her sentencing, District Judge Matthew Barrett harshly criticized Peters. “You are no hero. You abused your position, and you’re a charlatan,” he stated. Peters, now 69 years old, was sentenced to nine years in prison. She claims that her actions were part of her responsibility to safeguard election data and contends that she should not face prosecution for performing her duties. Earlier this year, she sought a federal court ruling to allow her release on bail during the appeals process, citing health concerns stemming from past lung cancer treatment and the challenges she is facing while incarcerated.
Currently, Peters is confined in Larimer County jail, located approximately 60 miles north of Denver. She is serving a six-month sentence for a misdemeanor before transitioning to state prison, where she will serve over eight years in connection to her election machine case.
Her attorney, John Case, did not provide immediate comments regarding the latest developments on Tuesday.
In its recent court filing, Roth contended that Peters had received an “exceptionally lengthy sentence imposed relative to the conduct at issue,” recommending that the federal judge deliberate her request for release while her appeals are underway. He also mentioned that the Justice Department is assessing the motivation behind the state prosecution to determine if it was aimed more at providing political repercussions rather than seeking genuine justice.
The prosecution of Peters was conducted by District Attorney Daniel P. Rubinstein, a Republican in office since 2015. Efforts to contact Rubinstein for a statement were unreturned.
Election security expert Lawrence Norden remarked that the charges against Peters represented a clear case of official misconduct. He expressed concern that the recent statements from the Department of Justice, following the dismantling of numerous safeguards for election integrity, could convey a troubling message to election officials and the general public about the administration’s commitment to election security.
In the wake of the Trump administration’s actions, significant measures have been implemented to diminish election security. Recently, the Department of Homeland Security has suspended all election-related initiatives and reassigned at least 17 employees linked to election security at the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency for a review. There have also been moves to terminate participation in a voluntary program that previously offered cybersecurity resources and information sharing with state and local election authorities.
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Colleen Slevin in Denver contributed to this report.
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