Colorado Governor Dismisses Two Clemency Board Members

Colorado Governor Jared Polis dismissed two members of his Executive Clemency Advisory Board on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, after they publicly revealed the board had twice voted unanimously to deny clemency for convicted former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, a recommendation the governor overruled in May. The governor removed attorneys Hannah Seigel Proff and Azra Taslimi for breaching the board's confidentiality rules.

Polis's office confirmed the dismissals, stating the pair had violated a required duty of confidentiality by publicly divulging board members' votes. A spokesperson for the governor, Eric Maruyama, said publicly disclosing internal recommendations threatens the board's credibility and future deliberations. The governor's dismissal letters emphasized that maintaining confidentiality is essential to the board's mission.

Peters was convicted in October 2024 on multiple felony counts for tampering with voting equipment in her county in an effort to prove claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential election. She was sentenced to nine years in prison. In May 2026, Governor Polis commuted her sentence, arguing it was disproportionately harsh compared to sentences for similar...