Trump officials seek to transfer Tina Peters from Colorado prison to federal custody
Federal agents have formally requested that former Colorado county clerk Tina Peters be transferred to federal custody the latest in a monthslong effort by the Trump administration to free the ballot conspiracy theorist from a state prison cell Leaders with the Federal Bureau of Prisons sent a letter about Peters to Colorado s Department of Corrections on Wednesday the state validated Friday It s unclear why the bureau is seeking to transfer Peters who was given a nine-year sentence to jail and prison last year after being convicted of charges related to unauthorized access to voting equipment A corrections spokeswoman declined to release the letter and directed The Denver Post to file a records request to obtain it Just The News a right-wing media outlet broadcasted last week that the Justice Department directed the prison bureau to seek Peters transfer to a federal facility It s unclear whether state bureaucrats will agree to the request or if they refuse if federal bureaucrats can otherwise force Peters transfer The request comes after President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for Peters a prominent supporter of his false stolen electoral contest conspiracies from to be circulated In March the Justice Department reported that it would review the state s prosecution of the former Mesa County clerk to check for abuses of the criminal justice process Peters has also challenged her own detention and has demanded a judge to release her while she appeals her convictions On Thursday her attorneys wrote to the judge in a filing that her wellness has declined during her incarceration Peters who is housed at the La Vista Correctional Facility in Pueblo was convicted on state charges so Trump cannot pardon her On Tuesday CNN disclosed that Trump has been urged to intervene further in the incident and that Ed Martin the U S Justice Department s pardon attorney has been advocating on her behalf The prison bureau s request was first broadcasted by News Peters attorney John Matter did not respond to an email seeking comment Friday Nor did spokespeople for the Federal Bureau of Prisons Related Articles With no juggernaut in the field Colorado Republicans and counting line up for governor s race Jena Griswold fires back after Trump calls again for Tina Peters release and threatens harsh measures The state Department of Corrections did not say whether it intended to comply with the federal administration s request The letter is presently under review in accordance with all applicable departmental policies and procedures spokeswoman Alondra Gonzalez-Garcia stated in an email Peters was accused of using another person s assurance badge to give another person access to Mesa County s voting process systems as part of false suggests about the presidential referendum that Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden She was convicted of three counts of attempting to influence a general servant as well as charges of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation first-degree official misconduct violation of duty and failing to comply with the Colorado secretary of state s requirements She was sentenced in October to eight-and-a-half years in prison and six months in jail Stay up-to-date with Colorado Politics by signing up for our weekly newsletter The Spot
