A former Colorado county official who promoted a 2020 election conspiracy theory was sentenced Thursday to nine years in prison for official misconduct and other charges related to a security breach in Mesa County’s voting system.
“Your lies are well-documented and your conviction is serious,” Judge Matthew Barrett told Tina Peters before sentencing her for the 2021 security breach, calling Tina Peters “snake oil”. “He is a charlatan who used his time in office to peddle his business.” ”
In August, Peters allowed associates of MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, a prominent election denier and ally of former President Donald Trump, to access county election equipment using someone else’s security badge. He was convicted of four felonies and three misdemeanors.
The county’s machine then had to be replaced after data, including the machine’s password, was posted online.
Prosecutor Jessica Drake said in closing arguments in August that Peters was “the fox guarding the chicken coop.” “It was her job to protect election equipment, but she activated it and used her power for her own benefit.”
Peters insists she did nothing wrong.
“It pains me to hear the vile accusations and anger being leveled at me for what I have done to protect the people of Mesa County,” she told the judge before handing down her sentence. Ta. She asked the judge to impose a suspended sentence, saying she was simply trying to preserve information to ensure the election was secure.
Matt Crane, executive director of the Colorado County Clerks Association, told the judge there were legal tools she could have used to preserve the information she wanted without engaging in a “treacherous” scheme. Ta. He said her actions cost the county more than $1 million.
District Attorney Daniel Rubinstein asked the judge to sentence Peters to capital punishment, citing his lack of remorse. He also noted that despite claims of widespread fraud, he had not identified a single fake vote.
County officials said she also led to a slew of death threats against election workers while continuing to make claims of election fraud and traveling around the country ignoring her actual duties. Peters denied the allegations and said she called the office when she was not in the state.
Peters ran for secretary of state in 2022 after his indictment, but lost in the Republican primary. She claimed the election was rigged and called for a recount after losing by 85,000 votes. After a recount, she received an additional 13 votes, as did overall primary winner Pam Anderson.