Tina Peters found guilty of election tampering in Colorado
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters in 2022. Photo: Marc Piscotty/Getty Images
Like a fox guarding the henhouse, a top Colorado official allowed election conspiracy theorists to access confidential voter records, prosecutors told the jury in the trial against former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters.
State of play: "She pretty much opened the door and said, 'Come on in,'" special prosecutor Robert Shapiro said in his closing arguments Monday.
The latest: The jury agreed and convicted Peters on seven of 10 counts related to election tampering, reaching a verdict a little more than four hours after arguments finished.
- Four of the guilty charges are felonies, raising the prospect of significant prison time.
- The guilty charges include first-degree official misconduct, three counts of attempting to influence a public servant and violation of duty.
- She was found not guilty of three other felonies, including identity theft.
Why it matters: The trial revealed how former President Trump's supporters went to great lengths to undermine the 2020 presidential results, only to come up short.
Catch up quick: Colorado prosecutors alleged Peters, 68, violated state law when she allowed an unauthorized person, using another person's security badge, to access the county's voting equipment in May 2021 and make a copy of hard drives, as well as pictures of passwords.
- Once posted online, testimony showed that Peters allegedly told her deputy she was going to jail.
Zoom in: The final arguments in a Grand Junction courtroom finished near 1pm.
- The prosecutor argued that Peters allowed unauthorized access to election records and conspired to cover up the fact after the data was posted online.
- The defense countered with allusions to unproven conspiracy theories and suggested that Peters merely performed her duties as clerk to preserve election records.
What they're saying: "The election records clerk Peters took an oath to protect are going to be erased," her attorney John Case told jurors.
Between the lines: The Trump loyalists who sought to access the records and rally to her cause included election denier Mike Lindell, MyPillow CEO, and Sherronna Bishop, who calls herself "America's Mom" and is a close ally of U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert.
- The judge repeatedly rejected the defense team's attempt to highlight falsities related to Dominion Voting Systems machines, though Peters' attorney suggested without evidence that the CIA was involved in the case against his client.
Reality check: A post-election audit found paper ballots in Colorado were correctly recorded and delivered President Biden a 14-point victory in Colorado in 2020.
What's next: The sentencing hearing is scheduled Oct. 3. She faces upwards of 22 years in prison.