Tina Peters, the Mesa County clerk and Big Lie activist running for Secretary of State, was arrested Wednesday for, basically, sabotaging election security as part of her campaign to discredit the 2020 election results.
From The Washington Post:
In an 18-page indictment, a county grand jury accused Peters of sneaking someone who was not a county employee into secure areas of her office in May, before and during a manual update of Dominion voting machines known as a “trusted build.” She is accused of devising a scheme to allow that person to use a security badge assigned to another person.
Peters has been under investigation since August, when the data copied from Mesa County’s machines surfaced at a symposium held by the election denier and conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell.
Peters, 66, was charged Tuesday evening with 10 counts, seven of them felonies. They include conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation and attempting to influence a public servant, stemming in part from Peters’s alleged efforts to deceive state elections officials.
Peters’ deputy, Belinda Knisley, was also indicted and arrested.
You may recall that just a few weeks ago Peters was temporarily arrested and charged with a misdemeanor for obstructing the execution of a search warrant for her iPad. She allegedly used the iPad to improperly record a criminal hearing regarding Knisley. Peters handled it with all the professionalism you’d expect from her – which is to say none.
UPDATE: Republican Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters appeared to attempt to kick a law enforcement officer while struggling with police during her arrest. This is video from a witness. pic.twitter.com/TILJ1198BV
— Kyle Clark (@KyleClark) February 8, 2022
NEW: We're going through body camera video of the arrest of Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters. After Peters is escorted out, she continues to accuse officers of hurting her. An officer suggests she "stand up like an adult"
Peters: "Shut up. What an a**h*** thing to say to me." pic.twitter.com/KsrvrhccP1— Steve Staeger (@SteveStaeger) February 11, 2022
And how is the state's Republican Party dealing with one of their own who is obviously unfit for any public office, much less one involving elections? With the most partisan and toothless statement.
From Colorado Public Radio, with my emphases added:
"It is our belief, as leaders of the Colorado Republican Party, that any Republican candidate who is indicted with felonies by a grand jury and who will be charged by a Republican District Attorney should suspend their campaign while they undergo the legal challenges associated with those indictments,” said a joint statement by chair Kristi Burton Brown and other party leaders.
However, the statement also noted that, under its policy of remaining neutral in primaries, the party will continue to treat Peters as a candidate unless she officially drops out.
