Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Tuesday suggested he may consider clemency for former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters as he reviews cases involving potential sentencing disparities, highlighting differences between Peters' prison sentence and the probation recently given to a former Democrat state lawmaker convicted of the same felony charge.
In a statement posted on X, Polis, a Democrat, said, "Last week, former State Senator Sonya Jaquez Lewis was sentenced to probation and community service after being convicted of four felonies including Attempt to Influence a Public Official.
"She made a horrible mistake, and she was wrong."
Jaquez Lewis, a Democrat who represented a Boulder-area district, resigned from the Legislature in 2023 after allegations that she asked a former aide to delete emails tied to an ethics investigation.
A jury later convicted her on multiple felony counts.
"As someone who has known Sonya as a friend for many years, on a personal level I was glad to hear she isn't going to prison which is a hard place for anyone, no less a retired 68-year-old pharmacist," Polis wrote.
But Polis also pointed to a contrast with Peters, the Republican former county clerk who was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2024 after being convicted in connection with a breach of election system data following the 2020 election.
Among her convictions was the same felony charge, attempting to influence a public official, cited in the Jaquez Lewis case.
"It is not lost on me that she was convicted of the exact same felony charge as Tina Peters — attempting to influence a public official — and yet Tina Peters, as a non-violent first-time offender got a nine-year sentence," Polis wrote.
The governor said concerns about sentencing disparities are part of why he is extending the deadline for clemency applications to April 3 and reviewing petitions throughout the remainder of his term.
Polis' comments come after President Donald Trump granted Peters a presidential pardon in December and publicly pressured the governor to secure her release.
Because Peters was convicted of state crimes, however, only state authorities can alter her sentence.
In a December social media post, Trump sharply criticized Polis over the case.
"The SLEAZEBAG Governor of Colorado, Jared Polis, refuses to allow an elderly woman, Tina Peters, who was unfairly convicted of what the Democrats do, cheating on Elections, out of jail!" Trump wrote.
"She was convicted for trying to stop Democrats from stealing Colorado Votes in the Election," he added. "She was preserving Election Records, which she was obligated to do under Federal Law.
"She has now served more than one year in jail, and has eight years to go."
Trump also referenced Peters' health and criticized Polis' leadership of the state.
"On top of everything else, she is a cancer 'survivor,'" Trump wrote. "This lightweight Governor, who has allowed his State to go to hell (Tren de Aragua, anyone?), should be ashamed of himself. FREE TINA!"
Polis said he will continue reviewing clemency cases as his administration evaluates whether similar crimes are being punished consistently.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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