President Donald Trump announced he will “pardon” one of his supporters convicted on state charges related to the 2020 election — something he does not authority to do.
Trump posted has intention Thursday night on Truth Social where he said he will pardon Tina Peters, who was as found guilty in Colorado of tampering with voting machines after the 2020 election.
Peters was convicted last of aiding a non-public employee to gain access to the county’s voting machines at which time that’s person took county passwords and proprietary information about the Dominion Voting Systems machines, per Mediaite.
Trump and his supporters allege the company helped rig the 2020 election he lost.
Peters was subsequently sentenced to nine years in prison.
“For years, Democrats ignored Violent and Vicious Crime of all shapes, sizes, colors, and types. Violent Criminals who should have been locked up were allowed to attack again,” Trump wrote. “Democrats were also far too happy to let in the worst from the worst countries so they could rip off American Taxpayers.”
“Democrats only think there is one crime – Not voting for them! Instead of protecting Americans and their Tax Dollars, Democrats chose instead to prosecute anyone they can find that wanted Safe and Secure Elections,” he continued. “Democrats have been relentless in their targeting of TINA PETERS, a Patriot who simply wanted to make sure that our Elections were Fair and Honest.”
“Tina is sitting in a Colorado prison for the ‘crime’ of demanding Honest Elections. Today I am granting Tina a full Pardon for her attempts to expose Voter Fraud in the Rigged 2020 Presidential Election!” Trump wrote.
The caveat in Trump’s plan is his authority does not extend to state charges, per Article II of the Constitution.
“Tina Peters was convicted by a jury of her peers for state crimes in a state court,” Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold said. “Trump has no constitutional authority to pardon her. His assault is not just on our democracy, but on states’ rights and the American constitution.”
Earlier this week, a federal magistrate judge denied Peters’ petition to be released from prison.
