President Donald Trump said on Dec. 11 that is pardoning Tina Peters, a former Colorado county clerk convicted of election machine tampering in the aftermath of the disputed 2020 election.
The presidential pardon of the Republican former officeholder appears to be symbolic.
The Pardons Clause of the U.S. Constitution says the president has the power to “grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States.” The clause also allows presidents to grant preemptive pardons to individuals who have not yet been convicted of federal offenses.
Peters was convicted in Colorado state court in August 2024 of election-related charges, such as allowing unauthorized access to voting machines, and sentenced to nine years of incarceration….