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Colorado Governor Grants Clemency, Frees Tina Peters as Trump Praises

5/19/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Colorado Governor Jared Polis announced plans to grant clemency to former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters.
President Donald Trump posted “FREE TINA” on Truth Social praising the upcoming release.
Polis said the clemency decision is based on free-speech concerns and that Trump’s comments contain inaccuracies.
Peters is scheduled to be released on June 1 after serving a nine-year sentence for copying sensitive voting data.

History

Historical Context

When President Gerald Ford issued an unconditional pardon to Richard Nixon on September 8, 1974, public approval plunged from 71 % to 50 %, sparking a partisan backlash that reshaped views on executive mercy. Nearly five decades later, Colorado Governor Jared Polis granted clemency to Mesa County clerk Tina Peters on June 1, 2024, echoing Ford’s controversial use of pardon power amid election-integrity disputes.

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Story summary

Colorado Governor Jared Polis announced plans to grant clemency to former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters.
President Donald Trump posted “FREE TINA” on Truth Social praising the upcoming release.
Polis said the clemency decision is based on free-speech concerns and that Trump’s comments contain inaccuracies.
Peters is scheduled to be released on June 1 after serving a nine-year sentence for copying sensitive voting data.

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