A Democratic candidate running for office in Colorado called for Gov. Jared Polis to be investigated and impeached after he commuted convicted felon Tina Peters' sentence.
On Friday, Polis announced that he was commuting the sentence of Tina Peters, the former Mesa County clerk who was convicted of nine felonies for her actions to aid President Donald Trump's attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 general election. Peters was found guilty of charges related to giving unauthorized people access to her county's voting machines. Peters was unrepentant during her sentencing and was given nine years for her crimes.
Polis said he decided to commute her sentence because he thought it was too long for a "first-time, nonviolent offender." He reduced her sentence from 9 years to 4.5 years, which would allow Peters to be released on parole on June 1.
"She has crazy viewpoints, conspiratorial viewpoints that are not accurate, not true. But that is not a crime in our country or in our state," Polis told CBS Colorado. "I think as a state, we need to move past this."
Melat Kiros, a Democrat who is running to unseat Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), called for Polis to be investigated and impeached on Sunday for his decision.
"While Governor Polis has the authority to commute that sentence, he expressed no interest in doing so until Donald Trump pressured him to," Kiros said in a post on X. "Like so many of our elected leaders in this moment, the Governor chose appeasement and capitulation over democracy."
Trump had been pressuring Polis to release Peters from state prison for months. The president initially posted a "pardon" for Peters on Truth Social and threatened "harsh measures" against Colorado if the former clerk was not released.
Kiros said Polis's decision undermined the electoral process.
"I am calling for an immediate investigation into any collusion between Jared Polis and the Trump administration," Kiros posted. "I am also calling on the Colorado State Legislature to convene a special session to consider articles of impeachment against Governor Polis."
"The election officials of Colorado fought honorably to protect your vote," she added. "Jared Polis undid that work by buckling to Trump’s threat to withhold public funds from hungry Colorado children, clean water, and disaster relief."