Colorado election official Tina Peters indicted as part of 2020 election probe
- John Frank, author of Axios Denver
Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters on Aug. 10, 2021, at a conference in South Dakota hosted by Mike Lindell, the CEO of MyPillow and an ally of former President Trump. Photo via YouTube
A grand jury indicted a Colorado election official on 1o counts as part of an investigation into tampering with the results of the 2020 election.
Driving the news: The criminal charges against Mesa County clerk Tina Peters announced Wednesday include seven felony counts for attempting to influence a public servant, criminal impersonation and identify theft.
- She is also charged with official misconduct — a misdemeanor.
- A warrant has been issued for her arrest, the Mesa County district attorney's office said in a statement Wednesday.
Why it matters: Peters is a nationally known promoter of debunked election fraud conspiracies and a Republican candidate for secretary of state, the Colorado office that oversees elections.
The backstory: The indictment came after numerous local, state and federal investigations into election equipment tampering.
- Peters, a supporter of former President Trump, claims election files were discarded after the 2020 election, but her own department says that's untrue and the election results are securely archived.
Details: Deputy clerk Belinda Knisley is charged with six criminal counts, including five felonies, and a warrant was issued for her arrest.
- Mesa County prosecutor Dan Rubinstein and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser issued a joint statement saying the grand jury found probable cause that Peters and Knisley committed crimes.
- Rubinstein and Weiser noted that the investigation into an alleged election system breach remains ongoing.