Tina Peters' Clemency Bid: A Misstep in Strategy

Tina Peters is seeking early release from jail. Her legal team's recent actions might not be helping her cause. They claimed she was assaulted in a closet at the La Vista Correctional Facility. They said she was attacked from behind. But surveillance video tells a different story. The video shows Peters moving a large cart in a hallway. She then partially pulls it behind her through a doorway. Another woman comes to the door, leans just past the cart, but does not enter. Peters quickly pushes the cart out of the way. She then grabs the woman and pushes her. The incident was minor. It would have gone unnoticed if not for Peters' attorneys. Peters was convicted by a jury of her peers. She was sentenced to nine years in jail. The sentence was harsh, but judges impose harsh sentences for various reasons. Peters could be released early on parole through good behavior credits. She might be free as early as March 2028.Peters' actions in court and her behavior have not shown contrition or growth. She engaged in deception and fraud. She tried to prove that President Donald Trump won the 2020 election. She claimed that President Joe Biden benefited from corrupted voting machines and software. Despite her assertions, the data she presented did not prove her claims. Peters' legal team's decision to blow the incident out of proportion does not help her case. Clemency is reserved for people who show reform. Peters' actions and her legal team's strategy do not show this. What would make Peters a worthy candidate for clemency is an apology for her breach of public trust. She needs to admit she was wrong about Colorado's secure, paper-ballot election system. Gov. Jared Polis could move her mandatory release date to January 2029. This would likely make her eligible for parole much earlier. But for that to happen, Peters needs to show genuine remorse and a willingness to admit her mistakes.