Tina Peters, the former Mesa County Clerk unjustly convicted in a bogus election security case, continues to languish in a Colorado prison as her health rapidly declines. The Trump Justice Department has signaled interest in her case, announcing it will investigate her prosecution for “abuses of the criminal justice process” under the “End Government Weaponization” law. The DOJ has already filed a statement of interest to involve itself in her appeal, citing concerns over the “exceptionally lengthy sentence” of nine years and clear First Amendment violations. Yet, despite this promising step, the pace of federal action remains frustratingly slow—too slow for a woman whose well-being is crumbling under the strain of incarceration.
Recently, Peters was moved to the Denver Women’s Correctional Facility, where conditions have slightly improved. The food is somewhat more nourishing than at her previous facility, but prison is still prison, and Tina continues to face day-to-day struggles that compound the injustice of her wrongful conviction. Her rapid deterioration demands immediate attention—not just sympathy, but decisive intervention.
Peters’ case stems from her efforts to preserve election records during a 2020 federal election, a duty mandated under federal law. As Mesa County Clerk, she allowed an authorized individual to access voting equipment in 2021 to safeguard data before a software update ordered by Colorado’s Secretary of State—an update that risked erasing critical evidence. Her actions, tied to exposing election fraud, led to sensitive voting system information being shared online, resulting in her conviction on seven counts, including four felonies, by a biased state court in Mesa County. Colorado’s Democratic officials call it misconduct, but Peters and her allies know she was targeted for upholding her oath, making her a political prisoner in a weaponized justice system.
Update on Latest Filing in Tina Peters’ Habeas Corpus Case
In a recent filing on April 15, 2025, Tina Peters’ legal team submitted a powerful response to the Colorado Attorney General’s shameful attempt to block her habeas corpus petition. The AG, Phil Weiser, claimed Peters failed to exhaust state remedies before seeking relief in federal court. This is nothing but a stall tactic to keep an innocent woman behind bars. The filing, titled “Applicant’s Reply to Respondents’ Pre-Answer Response,” dismantles Weiser’s argument, asserting that Peters has indeed exhausted state remedies for her First Amendment claims. The Colorado Court of Appeals denied her bond motion without addressing her arguments, and direct appeals cannot provide the immediate release she seeks. Her team cites case law, including United States v. Lemon, to argue that the denial of bond was partly based on her protected speech, a clear constitutional violation. This latest move exposes Weiser’s resistance as a desperate bid to protect a corrupt system, further proving the political motivations behind Peters’ prosecution. Time is running out, and the DOJ must act on this filing to secure her freedom.
The DOJ’s involvement offers hope, but it must go further—and faster. The department should not merely review her case; it should press forward by designating Peters a federal witness, given her actions were tied to a federal election. Her prosecution is an overreach by state authorities who punished her for fulfilling her federal duty to preserve election records. This is not just a state matter—it’s a case with national implications that belongs in the higher federal courts. The DOJ must urge federal judges to take jurisdiction, ensuring Peters’ appeal is handled outside Colorado’s corrupt state system, which is tainted by political bias.
Democratic officials have dug in their heels against any federal intervention. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, a gubernatorial candidate, has urged a federal court to reject the DOJ’s statement of interest, labeling it a “grotesque attempt to weaponize the rule of law.” Senator Michael Bennet, also reportedly eyeing a run for governor, has dismissed any notion of a deal to free Peters. Their resistance only proves her prosecution was politically motivated—a truth the DOJ must thoroughly investigate and act upon decisively.
The Department of Justice must escalate its efforts: continue pressing into her case, secure her status as a federal witness, and push for her appeal to be heard in federal courts. This is not just about one woman—it’s about ensuring that those who uphold their federal duties in election oversight are not crushed by state-level vendettas. The DOJ has the tools and the mandate under the “End Government Weaponization” law to act. It must do so now, before it’s too late.
