President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on Colorado officials, telling Governor Jared Polis and a Republican district attorney to “rot in hell” over their handling of a convicted former election clerk’s imprisonment.
Trump posted the attack on Truth Social, calling Polis a “scumbag” and District Attorney Dan Rubinstein “disgusting” and a “RINO” — Republican In Name Only — while defending Tina Peters, who is serving a nine-year sentence in a Colorado maximum security prison.
Peters, a 70-year-old former clerk for Mesa County, Colorado, was convicted on seven state charges related to election interference. The charges stem from her actions after the 2020 election, when Peters gave unauthorized access to Mesa County election software. She used her public position to provide an associate of MyPillow owner Mike Lindell with access to the election system.
Peters has served approximately 15 months of her sentence so far. Her conviction included charges related to breaching Mesa County election equipment after the 2020 election.
The president’s outburst on December 31 marked the latest escalation in an ongoing dispute between Trump and Colorado officials over Peters’ imprisonment. Trump told both Polis and Rubinstein to rot in hell in his post, wishing them “only the worst.”
Polis responded with a measured statement focused on policy concerns. “I hope the President’s resolution this year is to spend less time online talking about me and more on making America more affordable by stopping his disastrous tariffs and fixing rising health care costs,” Polis said, according to Denver7.
The governor added that he wished all Americans, including the president and people across the political spectrum, a happy, healthy, and productive New Year. He also mentioned that Trump’s tariffs make life more expensive for Americans.
Trump pardoned Peters in December, claiming she was being persecuted for wanting secure elections. However, presidential pardons have no effect on state convictions — a constitutional limitation that means Peters’ sentence remains unchanged despite Trump’s action. The president’s pardon power extends only to federal crimes, not those prosecuted at the state level.
Colorado officials have stood firm on their position regarding Peters. The state refused a federal request to transfer Peters to a federal prison, keeping her in state custody to serve her sentence for state crimes.
Peters’ legal team has attempted to leverage Trump’s pardon in the appeals process. Her lawyers asked the Colorado appeals court to recognize Trump’s December 5 pardon and argued the court no longer has jurisdiction over her case. They also requested that the court release her from prison based on the presidential pardon.
The appeals court has not immediately dismissed these arguments. Instead, it scheduled a hearing for January 14 and ordered Attorney General Phil Weiser’s office to respond to Peters’ legal arguments by January 8.
Rubinstein, the district attorney Trump attacked in his post, responded to the president’s criticism by focusing on the legal merits of the case. “Trump didn’t have facts or law on his side,” Rubinstein said, according to Yahoo.
The case centers on Peters’ actions as Mesa County clerk following the 2020 presidential election. Peters allowed an unauthorized individual to gain access to secure election systems, actions prosecutors said were intended to support false claims about election fraud. Her conviction came after a trial that examined her breach of election security protocols and misuse of her official position.
The dispute over Peters’ imprisonment has become a flashpoint in the ongoing tensions between Trump and Colorado officials. The state has repeatedly resisted federal pressure regarding Peters’ case, maintaining that state convictions must be handled through state judicial and executive processes.
This confrontation is not the first time Trump has targeted Polis with harsh rhetoric. A December 4 exchange saw Trump escalate his criticism of the Colorado governor for refusing to allow Peters out of prison.
At that time, Polis emphasized that Trump should focus on his presidential responsibilities rather than engaging in online disputes. The governor has consistently redirected attention to policy matters, particularly economic issues affecting Americans.
In Colorado’s system, only the governor has the authority to grant clemency for state crimes through pardons or commutations. Polis has not exercised this power in Peters’ case and has given no indication he intends to do so.
The upcoming appeals court hearing on January 14 will address Peters’ conviction and the novel legal arguments her attorneys have raised regarding the presidential pardon. Colorado Politics reported that the court’s decision to allow time to respond, rather than immediately dismissing the pardon arguments, suggests the judges want to fully consider the constitutional questions raised.
Peters’ age and the length of her sentence have become talking points for supporters who argue for leniency. However, prosecutors and state officials have maintained that her crimes warranted significant punishment given her abuse of public office and the threat her actions posed to election integrity.
The case continues to generate attention as it touches on multiple contentious issues: election security, federal versus state authority, presidential pardon power, and the ongoing political divisions over the 2020 election. As the legal process moves forward through Colorado’s courts, the confrontation between Trump and state officials shows no signs of abating.
