Tina Peters sentenced to nine years for election security breach
Former Mesa County clerk jailed for breaching election system security
Tina Peters, the former clerk of Mesa County, Colorado, received a nine-year prison sentence for orchestrating a security breach of the county’s election system. The breach was prompted by unfounded claims of voting fraud.
Peters, affiliated with the Republican Party, granted access to the county’s election software to an associate of MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, a supporter of former President Donald Trump. Screenshots of the software later surfaced on right-wing websites.
She was convicted on multiple charges related to election tampering and misconduct. District Judge Matthews Barrett remarked, “Your lies are well documented, and these convictions are serious. I’m convinced you would do it all over again if you could. You’re as defiant as a defendant as this Court has never seen.”
The best takedown of the MAGA 💀 cult I’ve ever seen.
Former Mesa County, Colorado, clerk Tina Peters was sentenced to nine years in prison for leading a security breach of the county's election system after being inspired by false and baseless claims of voting fraud.
Peters, a… pic.twitter.com/93mubXXCuP
— South Dakota Department of Propaganda (@SoDakTruth) October 4, 2024
Barrett further stated, “There are many things in my mind that are crystal clear about this case, you are no hero. You abused your position, and you’re a charlatan who used and is still using your prior position in office to peddle a snake oil that’s been proven to be junk, time and time again.” He described the damage caused by Peters to election integrity as “immeasurable.”
Before sentencing, Peters requested probation, asserting she “never did anything with malice” and believed she was serving the people of Mesa County. She stated, “I’m not a criminal and I don’t deserve to go into a prison where other people have committed heinous crimes.”
In a lengthy and emotional speech, Peters expressed willingness to refrain from discussing elections if granted probation. “I really am remorseful,” she said.
Peters emerged as a prominent figure in promoting conspiracy theories about election fraud following the 2020 election. She has since collaborated with Lindell on several election denial events. She is the first local election official convicted of a security breach post-2020 presidential election.
Lindell, who has not faced charges in this case, said in 2022, “I came to Colorado today because you have here in Colorado the key to the whole nation, because you had a great county clerk, Tina Peters, who did her job.”
During Thursday’s hearing, Douglas Frank, an associate of Lindell, defended Peters, stating she was “understandably concerned” about the 2020 election. “Tina Peters is no conspirator, Tina Peters is a patriot,” Frank said.
Matt Crane, executive director of the Colorado County Clerks Association, testified that Peters’ actions led to death threats against election officials in the state. “We’ve seen long-time clerks choose retirement due to the flames that Tina has willfully fanned,” Crane said. He added that her actions have made the jobs of election officials “immeasurably harder” and have contributed to widespread distrust in the electoral process.
What Other Media Are Saying
- US News reports that former Colorado county clerk Tina Peters was sentenced to nine years for a voting machine breach, highlighting her involvement in unfounded election conspiracy theories and security mismanagement.(read more)
- Los Angeles Times details Tina Peters’ sentence to 9 years for a voting system data breach, highlighting her defiance and the damage to election workers amidst false claims about rigged voting machines.(read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
Why was Tina Peters sentenced to nine years in prison?
Tina Peters was sentenced for leading a security breach of Mesa County’s election system.
Who did Tina Peters give access to the election software?
Tina Peters gave access to an individual affiliated with Mike Lindell.
What did Judge Matthews Barrett say about Tina Peters?
Judge Barrett called Peters’ actions serious, documented her lies, and labeled her a charlatan.
How did Tina Peters defend herself before sentencing?
Tina Peters asked for probation, claimed she acted without malice, and expressed remorse.
What impact did Tina Peters’ actions have on election officials in Colorado?
Tina Peters’ actions led to death threats and made election officials’ jobs harder.
