Colorado Governor Jared Polis took the rare step of firing two members of his clemency board on Wednesday, following their public opposition to his decision to reduce the prison sentence of former Mesa County election clerk Tina Peters. The move highlights the deepening rift within the Democratic Party over how to handle officials involved in efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
Azra Taslimi and Hannah Seigel Proff, both appointed to the board by Polis, told CNN that they were dismissed after speaking to The New York Times about the clemency process and criticizing the governor for overriding their recommendations. The governor's office confirmed the firings to The Denver Post, though a spokesperson declined to comment further when reached by The Hill.
Peters, a Republican, made national headlines as the first local election official to be convicted of tampering with election equipment in an attempt to prove widespread fraud in the 2020 election. She was sentenced to nine years in prison after a jury found her guilty on seven counts, including criminal impersonation and official misconduct. At the time, she had certified that President Donald Trump won Mesa County, even though Joe Biden carried the county.
In 2021, Peters allowed an associate of MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, a prominent Trump ally, to make copies of the county's voting system software. The goal, according to prosecutors, was to expose alleged irregularities that Peters and others claimed had cost Trump the election. No evidence of widespread fraud was ever found.
Polis commuted her sentence in May after she had served less than two years of her nine-year term. In a statement, the governor argued that while Peters had engaged in criminal behavior, her right to free speech meant the punishment was “overly harsh.” Critics, however, saw the commutation as a politically expedient move that undermined the rule of law.
Hours after her release last month, Peters quickly returned to the public eye, repeating baseless claims that Democrats “cheat” in elections. Her case has become a rallying point for Trump and his allies, who have pushed for her release. Trump himself met with Peters at the White House earlier this week, writing on Truth Social that “FREE TINA!” had become a “rallying cry of the Republican Party.”
The decision has also sparked backlash from within Polis’s own party. Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat, condemned the commutation, and state party officials issued a censure of the governor. The controversy comes as Colorado Democrats face growing pressure from progressive factions, as seen in recent primary contests where left-wing candidates have challenged establishment incumbents. Colorado Socialist Pledges to Oppose Any Leader Accepting Corporate PAC Money and DSA Candidate Ousts 28-Year Incumbent DeGette in Colorado Primary Upset signal the shifting political landscape.
Trump, who has repeatedly falsely claimed he won the 2020 election, had urged Polis for months to commute Peters’s sentence. The former president’s influence over the case underscores the ongoing polarization around election integrity. Trump Welcomes Ex-Election Official Tina Peters, Convicted of 2020 Fraud, to White House further cemented the alliance.
For Polis, the firing of the two board members is a risky move that could alienate moderate and progressive voters alike. It remains to be seen whether the governor’s handling of the Peters case will have lasting political consequences as he navigates a party increasingly divided over how to confront election denialism.
