Governor Jared Polis faced formal censure from the Colorado State Democratic Party on Wednesday. The rebuke came in response to his decision to commute the prison sentence of Tina Peters.
The censure reflects growing frustration among rank-and-file Democratic voters. Party leaders described the governor’s action as a significant departure from Democratic values.
Tina Peters, a former county clerk, was convicted for her role in a 2021 election security breach. She had promoted false claims about the 2020 presidential election.
Polis reduced her 10-year prison sentence in a surprise move last month. The decision drew immediate backlash from election security advocates and Democratic officials.
The governor defended his commutation by citing Peters’ health issues and her status as a nonviolent offender. He maintained that the sentence was unduly harsh.
Democratic county party chairs led the censure effort. Their resolution stated that Polis’s action undermined public confidence in election integrity.
The censure lacks binding authority but carries significant political weight. It signals deep divisions within the state’s Democratic coalition ahead of upcoming elections.
