Statement from Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold Regarding Grand Jury Indictment of Clerk Peters and Deputy Clerk Knisley in Election System Breach

Denver, March 9, 2022 - Today, the Secretary of State released the following statement in response to the Mesa County grand jury returning a 13-count indictment against Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters and Deputy Clerk Belinda Knisley related to an investigation into allegations of election equipment tampering and official misconduct.

“Every eligible Coloradan – Republican, Democrat, and Unaffiliated alike – has the right to make their voice heard in safe, accessible, and secure elections. To do that, we need election administrators who are committed to following the law and election rules. Officials tasked with carrying out elections do so in public trust and must be held accountable when they abuse their power or position,” said Secretary Jena Griswold. “As Secretary of State, I will always protect Colorado’s election infrastructure and Coloradans’ right to vote, which means upholding election laws and rules to ensure the security and integrity of the state’s elections.”

Peters is being charged with three counts of attempting to influence a public servant, one count of conspiracy to commit attempting to influence a public servant, criminal impersonation, conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, identify theft, first-degree official misconduct, violation of duty, and failing to comply with the rules of the Secretary of State. Knisley is charged with three counts of attempting to influence a public servant, one count of conspiracy to commit attempting to influence a public servant, violation of duty, and failing to comply with the rules of the Secretary of State.

In August 2021, Secretary of State Griswold initiated an investigation into the breach of election security protocol in Mesa County. The investigation uncovered that voting equipment was compromised and election rules violated. Secretary Griswold decertified the election equipment in Mesa County, and successfully filed a lawsuit to request a judge to bar Clerk Peters and Deputy Clerk Knisely from overseeing the 2021 election.

In January 2022, Secretary of State Griswold proceeded with an additional lawsuit to request a judge bar Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters from overseeing the 2022 elections. The lawsuit asks a judge to remove Peters as the Designated Election Official (DEO) during 2022. This legal action followed the refusal of Peters to certify under penalty of perjury that she would comply with the security protocols as the Mesa County DEO for the 2022 elections.

In the filing, the Secretary of State’s office requested the Court to appoint Brandi Bantz as the DEO for Mesa County to ensure the smooth and secure operations of the 2022 Primary and General elections. Both the Mesa County Commissioners and the Secretary of State’s office support the appointment of Bantz. A DEO is the person responsible for running elections for a local government, like a municipality or a county. They make determinations regarding elections issues for their municipality or county. The Secretary of State does have the authority to appoint election supervisors.

Clerk Peters’ actions constituted one of the nation’s first insider threats where an official, elected to uphold free, fair, and secure selections risked the integrity of the election system in an effort to prove unfounded conspiracy theories.