Over the last few months, Trump has joined in, seemingly pressuring the state of Colorado to release Peters. Nevertheless, Trump is now conducting an increasingly intense pressure campaign against Colorado and its Democratic governor, Jared Polis, whom Trump has called a “sleazebag” and a “scumbag” for refusing to release Peters. “I have major concerns that [commuting Peters’ sentence] emboldens the far right that has been attacking our elections and election officials,” Jena Griswold, Colorado’s secretary of state and the state’s top election official, tells WIRED. Peters was officially charged in March 2022 when she was already campaigning to become Colorado’s secretary of state. A recount added 13 more votes to her total, but she still lost the primary by over 88,000 votes.