Colorado Governor Fires Clemency Board Members Over Tina Peters Leak

Hannah Seigel Proff and Azra Taslimi were dismissed after revealing that the clemency board had twice voted unanimously to deny Peters’ bid for a shorter sentence. Peters was serving a nine-year term for tampering with voting equipment in a failed effort to substantiate false claims regarding the 2020 election. Despite the board’s repeated rejections, Polis intervened to grant her release in May, citing an admission of error that critics argue was non-existent.

In a joint op-ed for The Denver Post, the former board members highlighted a stark contrast between Peters’ case and hundreds of other applications they reviewed—many involving inmates who expressed genuine remorse and had the support of prosecutors and victims. Shortly after her release, Peters resumed public attacks on election integrity, directly contradicting the governor's justification for her clemency. U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) condemned the firings, characterizing the governor’s actions as an attempt to shield himself from scrutiny by purging those who challenge his authority. A spokesperson for Polis defended the terminations, claiming the breach of confidentiality regarding board votes threatened the panel's credibility.