Gov Jared Polis told a Colorado Sun event that his decision to give clemency to Tina Peters "will be remembered fondly."

[demmiblue]

Gov Jared Polis told a Colorado Sun event that his decision to give clemency to Tina Peters "will be remembered fondly."

He was later interrupted by protesters carrying an enormous banner reading EAT SHIT POLIS

Gov Jared Polis told a Colorado Sun event that his decision to give clemency to Tina Peters "will be remembered fondly."

He was later interrupted by protesters carrying an enormous banner reading EAT SHIT POLIS coloradosun.com/2026/05/19/j...

— Kyle Clark (@kylec.bsky.social) 2026-05-20T02:40:46.335Z

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Tuesday said he doesn’t regret his decision to commute the prison sentence of former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, despite widespread condemnation from Democrats and some Republicans, who said it will embolden election conspiracy theorists ahead of the 2026 midterms.

“I think this will be remembered fondly,” Polis said at The Colorado Sun’s annual legislative recap event at the University of Denver. “The nation needs to have a reconciliation and healing.

“People know I’m a man of action,” he added. “I’m a bold person, I’m going to do things that I think are right, and that’s why people put me here. They want me to do things that I think are right.”

Peters, an ally of President Donald Trump who has touted election conspiracy theories, was convicted in August 2024 of orchestrating a security breach of her county’s election system in a failed 2021 attempt to uncover voter fraud. Polis on Friday cut Peters’ nine-year prison sentence in half and ordered her to be released on parole June 1, saying she was being unfairly punished for her political views.

[Blues Heron]

1. Healing requires Justice, which this flies in the face of

[UpInArms]

2. They want me to do things that I think are right.

No, asshole, they don’t want you to do things that you “think” are right.

They want you to do the right things. Not let people off the hook for their crimes because you have no spine.

[Orrex]

3. Every bit as fondly as Chamberlain

[GiqueCee]

4. Yeah, sure...

Last edited Thu May 21, 2026, 07:27 AM - Edit history (1)

... that decision will be remembered fondly... by the Republican shitstains that you caved in to. And it wasn't Peters' "political views" for which she was found guilty, it was her political CRIMES!

So... what are Colorado's Democrats going to do about this guy?

EDIT TO ADD: Apparently, the Colorado Democratic Party took a dim view of Polis' actions as well. They officially censured him.

[some_of_us_are_sane]

11. Precisely, GiqueCee!

[Solly Mack]

5. Oh, yeah. Look how well we healed after Nixon's pardon.

Cause everyone knows shit like that never festers. Ever.

[Just_Vote_Dem]

6. I'm going to try and be tactful here

and say that I hope a vast majority of Democrats who hold office-and are vying for an office this election year-do not make the same kind of poor decisions that he did.

[EdmondDantes_]

7. That seems wildly optimistic

Didn't really work out for Gerald Ford.

[CanonRay]

8. Yes, by Tina Peters.

Why do so many elected Dems lose their minds?

[harumph]

9. Should be a career ending move for him if we had any sense.

"People know I'm a man of action...I'm going to do things that I think are right..."
Yeah.., that's the ticket!

[EdmondDantes_]

12. He's term limited as governor this yearand has a negative approval rating

I'm not sure he has a next step in elected office. Best bet would be if Bennett wins the governor race in Colorado and appoints Polis to the Senate as his replacement, but with a negative approval rating that seems unlikely.

[dalton99a]

10. NEXT: Polis sets up anti-weaponization fund to compensate Peters