December 12, 2025

Dancin' Don claimed to grant Tina Peters a “full pardon” Thursday night — a power that he cannot wield for a person convicted of state-level crimes. Via the Denver Post:

Peters, 70, is serving a nine-year sentence in state prison in Pueblo for felonies related to providing unauthorized access to voting equipment when she was the elected clerk and recorder of Mesa County. She had worked with prominent election deniers in an attempt to prove discredited claims that voting machines were manipulated, and she’s been a prominent supporter of Trump’s debunked claims of fraud in the 2020 election.

On Thursday evening, Trump posted to his Truth Social account that “Democrats have been relentless in their targeting of TINA PETERS, a Patriot who simply wanted to make sure that our Elections were Fair and Honest.”

“Tina is sitting in a Colorado prison for the ‘crime’ of demanding Honest Elections,” Trump continued. “Today I am granting Tina a full Pardon for her attempts to expose Voter Fraud in the Rigged 2020 Presidential Election!”

Trump, however, can grant pardons only for federal crimes — not those committed against the state, as Peters was convicted of.

Still cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs!

BREAKING: Donald Trump claims he has granted a “full pardon” to Tina Peters — the Colorado election denier serving a state sentence.

Presidents cannot pardon state crimes. His statement has no legal force.

Democracy Docket (@democracydocket.com) 2025-12-12T00:57:39.792Z

NEW: President Donald Trump says he is granting a pardon to Tina Peters, who was convicted on state charges related to tampering with Colorado's election systems. Legal experts say presidential pardons do not apply to state charges.

Kyle Clark (@kylec.bsky.social) 2025-12-12T00:08:43.932Z

“Trump says he pardoned Tina Peters.”

And I said I’m now the Pope.

Both statements deserve the same level of respect.

John Pfaff (@johnpfaff.bsky.social) 2025-12-12T02:02:27.578Z

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