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What’s current with Tina Peters & Trump?

GoogleAI Mode: “The current development in the relationship between Tina Peters and Donald Trump is that the Trump administration is actively seeking to transfer Peters from state prison to federal custody. 

The Latest

Federal Custody Request: On November 12, 2025, the Federal Bureau of Prisons sent a letter to the Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC) formally requesting custody of Tina Peters. The letter is currently under review by state officials, and it is unclear if they will agree to the transfer.

Trump’s Stance: President Trump has repeatedly and publicly called for Peters’ release from prison, referring to her as an “innocent Patriot” who is being “tortured” by “Crooked Colorado politicians”. He has also threatened “harsh measures” if she is not released.

DOJ Involvement: The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), under the Trump administration, has involved itself in Peters’ case. In March 2025, the DOJ announced it would review her state conviction for potential “abuses of the criminal justice process”. The U.S. pardon attorney, Ed Martin, has also been advocating for her transfer. 

Background

Conviction and Sentencing: Peters, a Republican former Mesa County Clerk, was convicted in October 2024 on seven counts, including four felonies, related to a scheme to breach the county’s voting systems in search of evidence for false claims of 2020 election fraud. She was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison and six months in jail.

State Opposition: Colorado’s Attorney General Phil Weiser (a Democrat) has stated there is “no basis” for a transfer and that he will “strongly oppose” any such efforts, emphasizing that Peters should be held accountable under Colorado law.

Legal Challenges: Peters’ attorneys have argued that her health is declining in state prison and are seeking her release on bail while she appeals her conviction. Since her crimes are state charges, President Trump cannot pardon her directly; a pardon would have to come from Colorado’s Governor Jared Polis, who has indicated he will not grant one. The move to federal custody is seen by some as a step toward finding a mechanism for federal intervention or a potential pardon.”

I’d like to see Trump’s posts about Tina Peters

GoogleAI Mode: “Donald Trump has frequently posted about Tina Peters on his social media platform, Truth Social, referring to her as a “brave and innocent Patriot” and a “political prisoner”. 

While you cannot view his posts here directly, here are summaries of his key statements as reported by news outlets:

“FREE TINA PETERS, a brave and innocent Patriot who has been tortured by Crooked Colorado politicians, including the big Mail-In Ballot supporting the governor of the State,” Trump wrote in one post.

“Let Tina Peters out of jail, RIGHT NOW”.

In one post, Trump referred to her punishment as “Cruel and Unusual Punishment”.

He also stated that Peters “did nothing wrong, except catching the Democrats cheat in the Election”.

Trump has reportedly threatened “harsh measures” against Colorado if Peters is not released, though he did not elaborate on what those measures might be.

In a May 2025 post, he announced, “I am hereby directing the Department of Justice to take all necessary action to help secure the release of this ‘hostage’ being held in a Colorado prison by the Democrats for political reasons”.

In September 2025, after Peters requested his help, Trump renewed his call and said, “We’re going to do something”. 

These posts have been a major driver behind the Trump administration’s current efforts to have Peters transferred to federal custody.”

Why does the Trump administration want to move Tina Peters to federal custody?

GoogleAI Mode: “The Trump administration wants to move Tina Peters to federal custody for several reasons, including concerns raised about her state prosecution and sentence, her health condition in state prison, and to potentially facilitate her involvement in ongoing investigations related to the 2020 election. 

Specific reasons cited by the Trump administration and Peters’ legal team include:

Concerns about the state prosecution: The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) under the Trump administration has indicated it is reviewing Peters’ state conviction for potential “abuses of the criminal justice process” and whether the prosecution was politically motivated. The DOJ has raised “reasonable concerns” about the case and the “exceptionally lengthy sentence imposed relative to the conduct at issue”.

Health issues: Peters’ attorneys have argued that her health is declining in the state prison environment and have cited her history of lung cancer and the presence of mold in the prison as reasons for a transfer to a safer federal facility.

Ongoing investigations: One of Peters’ lawyers, Peter Ticktin, believes the transfer would allow her to be more easily involved in investigations into voting machines related to the 2020 presidential election.

Trump’s advocacy: President Trump has repeatedly and publicly called for Peters’ release, referring to her as a “brave and innocent Patriot” and “tortured” by Colorado officials, suggesting his personal support is a significant factor in the administration’s efforts. 

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has stated there is “no basis” for a transfer and will “strongly oppose” any such efforts, emphasizing that Peters should be held accountable under Colorado law for her state crimes.”

Has the DOJ intervened in state cases like this before?

GoogleAI Mode: “It is extremely unusual for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to intervene in a state criminal case in this manner. Generally, the DOJ has no authority to intervene in matters of state law or to review the decisions of state courts. 

Key points regarding the unusual nature of this intervention:

Jurisdiction: State prisons and state criminal cases do not fall under the direct jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Justice unless a federal law has been violated or constitutional rights are systematically being abused. In the Peters case, the conviction was for state-level crimes (seven counts related to breaching a county’s voting system).

Precedent: Legal experts and news reports describe the DOJ’s involvement as “unorthodox” and highly unusual. The current push to transfer a state prisoner to federal custody, especially one involving a political ally of the president, appears to be an unprecedented situation.

Habeas Petition: The DOJ has involved itself in a federal case, known as a habeas petition, that Peters filed in March 2025, urging a federal judge to free her on bail while she appeals her conviction. Even this was an unusual step for the department to take.

State Opposition: Colorado officials, including the Attorney General, have strongly opposed the federal government’s intervention, stating there is no legal basis for it and that it is an attempt to prevent Peters from being held accountable under state law.

Political Motivations: The intervention is widely seen as being driven by political interests and pressure from President Trump and his allies, rather than established legal procedure. The U.S. pardon attorney, Ed Martin, has been a key figure in advocating for Peters’ relief, despite objections from some colleagues. 

While the DOJ does send election monitors to polling sites under the Voting Rights Act of 1965 or pursues cases related to federal election laws (such as a recent lawsuit against several states for not providing voter rolls), directly intervening in a state court’s conviction and sentencing of an individual for state crimes is a significant departure from typical protocol. 

AI responses may include mistakes. For legal advice, consult a professional.”