Two days after Trump-loving Mesa County clerk Tina Peters scuffled with police, Colorado election deniers gathered for an emergency meeting on Thursday night.
Peters attended the meeting after turning herself in Thursday morning on charges of obstructing a peace officer and obstructing government operations, and being released on bond. During Tuesday's scuffle, Peters appeared to try to kick police officers.
“When you do the right thing, you don’t have to be ashamed,” Peters told the crowd on Thursday night, adding that she was still wearing the same clothes from when she was booked at the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office.
“I won’t back down. They don’t like that," Peters said, according to a report from Colorado Newsline.
Those sharing the stage with Peters at Thursday's meeting included Trump lawyer and "coup memo" author John Eastman, as well as prominent election conspiracist Shawn Smith, who is an ally of MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell.
"Eastman decried the 'attacks' that he and others in the election-conspiracist movement have experienced, and told the crowd that they are facing 'pure evil,'" the site reported.
Smith, meanwhile, "rallied the crowd against Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, whom he accused of being complicit in election fraud."
"As the crowd chanted 'Lock her up,' Smith said that he believed in 'due process' and 'justice,'" according to Colorado Newsline.
“I think if you’re involved in election fraud, then you deserve to hang,” Smith said to applause and shouts of agreement. “Sometimes the old ways are the best ways. I’m not endorsing violence, I’m saying when you put your hand on a hot stove, you get burned. And you ought to see it coming. That’s what happens to tyrants.”
The meeting, held at a church in Castle Rock, reportedly was organized by FEC United, a conservative group with a militia wing. FEC is led by Joe Oltmann, who is no stranger to making violent threats.
Secretary of State Griswold responded to a clip of Smith's threat on Twitter: "This video may be tough to watch, but I am sharing it so we can all see clearly: The threats against election officials like me are happening every day. We must stand up to these blatant attempts to end democracy as we know it."
According to Denver's Channel 9, Griswold said she took the threat "very seriously" and reported it to the Colorado state patrol.
"I've asked them to investigate and if they can, prosecute," she said.
Watch Channel 9's report, as well as raw video of Smith's threat, below.
This video may be tough to watch, but I am sharing it so we can all see clearly: The threats against election officials like me are happening every day. We must stand up to these blatant attempts to end democracy as we know it.https://twitter.com/dcwoodruff/status/1491974189238132736\u00a0\u2026— Jena Griswold (@Jena Griswold) 1644553490
