Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) said Colorado Gov. Jared Polis made a "terrible decision" when he commuted the sentence of former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters, who was convicted of facilitating unauthorized access to voting equipment in 2024.
Peters was sentenced to nine years in prison for her role in enabling a breach of election equipment in Mesa County. Polis announced he would commute that sentence, making her eligible for parole on June 1, after what the governor described as a months-long battle with President Trump, who pushed for Peters to receive a full pardon.
Polis did not issue a pardon. Peters's felony convictions remain on her record.
"I don't think it makes any sense and I think it was a terrible decision to commute the sentence of Tina Peters and the governor knows I believe that," Bennet told CNN in an interview. "She is a stone-cold election denier. She has never said anything other than that."
What the Left Is Saying
Bennet, who is running for Colorado governor, said he spoke with Polis this week after the commutation announcement. The senator said Polis called to indicate he had no interest in being considered for Bennet's Senate seat if Bennet wins the gubernatorial race.
"The Tina Peters decision I think was disqualifying and I think he knows that," Bennet said. "I also think he's a sensible person who never wants to be in the U.S. Senate."
Bennet noted that Peters was convicted by a jury of her peers in what he described as "a very conservative part of this state." He referenced Peters allowing an associate linked to MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, a prominent Trump ally who promoted election fraud theories following the 2020 presidential contest, into a restricted area of the county clerk's office.
"There is absolutely no way that her sentence should have been commuted," Bennet said. "I think that was a terrible decision."
What the Right Is Saying
Republican voices in Colorado and nationally have defended Peters, arguing she was simply seeking to investigate potential irregularities in election equipment following the 2020 presidential election.
Conservative commentators have argued that Polis's commutation shows even Democratic governors recognize the sentence was excessive. They note that Polis did not grant a full pardon, leaving Peters's convictions intact while still addressing what allies characterize as disproportionate punishment for someone who allowed access to public records.
Some Republican strategists have suggested Bennet's criticism reflects broader tensions within the Democratic Party over election security and accountability, positioning his comments as political positioning ahead of his gubernatorial campaign rather than pure policy disagreement.
What the Numbers Show
Peters was convicted in 2024 on multiple counts related to unauthorized access to voting equipment. Her original sentence of nine years was one of the most severe penalties handed down in a case involving election equipment breach at the county level.
Polis announced her commutation makes her eligible for parole on June 1, roughly two years after she would have otherwise been eligible under the original sentence.
Bennet leads polling in the Colorado governor's race. If elected, he would appoint someone to fill his Senate seat until a special election or the 2028 cycle.
The Bottom Line
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions around election integrity and accountability following the 2020 presidential contest. Bennet's characterization of Polis as "disqualified" from potential Senate consideration marks an unusually direct public break between two prominent Colorado Democrats.
Polis remains in his final term as governor. Peters is scheduled to become parole-eligible June 1 under the commuted sentence.