Colorado Dems censure fellow party member Gov Polis for commuting sentence of Trump ally Tina Peters

As a result of the censure, Polis cannot be an officially recognized representative of the Colorado Democratic Party at the group's events or functions, nor can he attend as a featured guest.

Published: May 21, 2026 10:23am

Updated: May 21, 2026 11:27am

The Colorado Democratic Party has censured fellow party member Gov. Jared Polis for reducing the prison sentence of former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters. 

Peters, an ally of Donald Trump, was convicted in 2024 of tampering with county voting machines. She was allegedly trying to prove election rigging six months after the 2020 election, according to Colorado Public Radio. She is scheduled to be paroled on June 1. 

In a virtual meeting on Wednesday, the Colorado Democratic Party's State Central Committee voted to censure Polis and condemn his actions. Party member Andrew Brandt said the governor has been a problem for the party for some time, and censuring Peters was too much to overlook. 

“I cannot tolerate a governor who treats a law-breaking county clerk and recorder in this way,” Brandt said. 

As a result of the censure, Polis cannot be an officially recognized representative of the Colorado Democratic Party at the group's events or functions, nor can he attend as a featured guest. 

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