Former Colorado clerk Tina Peters, who became a hero to election deniers, was found guilty on most charges related to a security breach in the Mesa County election system. Peters had allowed an expert affiliated with Mike Lindell to access the system using someone else’s security badge. Lindell is known for promoting false claims about the 2020 election being stolen from Donald Trump. Prosecutors argued that Peters sought fame and became fixated on voting problems after the election.
Peters was convicted of several charges, including attempting to influence a public servant, first-degree official misconduct, and violation of duty. She was found not guilty of identity theft. Authorities emphasized that the verdict should serve as a warning to anyone attempting to tamper with voting processes. The defense argued that Peters had not committed any crimes and only wanted to preserve election records, highlighting the complexity of the case.
The verdict came after prosecutors presented evidence showing Peters cooperating with outsiders to access the election system before a software upgrade and attend Lindell’s symposium. The defense claimed that Peters was not acting maliciously but trying to uncover potential security threats. Peters accused Dominion Voting Systems and state election officials of stealing votes on social media after the verdict.
The FBI is investigating efforts to hack both Trump and Biden-Harris campaigns. Peters will be sentenced on October 3, facing consequences for compromising election equipment and security. Colorado officials, including the Secretary of State and Attorney General, emphasized the safety and fairness of the state’s election systems. Peters’ conviction sends a strong message about the consequences of attempting to illegally interfere with voting processes.
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