DOJ Tries New Way to Free MAGA Conspiracy Theorist Trump Can’t Pardon

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are pretending to care about prisoners’ human rights in an apparent effort to get conspiracy theorist, former state official, and convicted 2020 election fraudster Tina Peters out of a Colorado jail.

“Under my direction, @CivilRights has opened an investigation into the entire Colorado prison system following multiple reports of unconstitutional and legally insufficient carceral conditions. Prisoners have civil rights,” Dhillon wrote Tuesday afternoon.

Dhillion’s letter is addressed to Colorado Governor Jared Polis, and accuses the Colorado prison system of “failing to provide adequate medical care and safe sanitary physical conditions of confinement,” and will determine if the state violates prisoners’ rights by “housing biological males in units designated for females.”

On Monday, a federal judge refused to release Peters, who is Trump’s only 2020 ally still behind bars. Trump can’t just pardon her like he’s done with virtually everyone else who’s committed felonies in his name, since she is being held on state charges, not federal—so instead, the administration has to use this “prisoners’ rights” loophole.

Those on both the left and the right acknowledged that Dhillon’s move is part of a larger plan to free the woman who committed seven felonies in Colorado for Trump.

“PLEASE focus on @realtinapeters,” one supporter wrote. “She is a victim of the system.”

“They’re going to get Tina out?” said another, attaching prayer hand emojis.

“New Trump pressure on Colorado to release election conspiracy theorist Tina Peters—who Trump can’t pardon because she’s imprisoned on state charges,” The Bulwark’s Will Sommer chimed in.

Right-wingers have been doing the “Free Tina” thing for some time now. Peters is currently serving nine years in jail for granting unauthorized access to Colorado voting machines and being charged with three counts of attempting to influence a public servant, two counts of conspiracy to commit attempting to influence a public servant, first-degree official misconduct, violation of duty, failing to comply with the secretary of state, obstruction, contempt of court, criminal impersonation, and identity theft.

The right, of course, views Peters as a political prisoner rather than someone who blatantly tried to use her power to swing the 2020 election in Trump’s favor. Her lawyers and MAGA-sphere supporters have alleged that her health is declining and that she was temporarily placed in solitary confinement last month.

“FREE TINA PETERS, a brave and innocent Patriot who has been tortured by Crooked Colorado politicians, including the big Mail-In Ballot supporting the governor of the State,” Trump posted on Truth Social back in August. “Let Tina Peters out of jail, RIGHT NOW. She did nothing wrong, except catching the Democrats cheat in the Election. She is an old woman, and very sick. If she is not released, I am going to take harsh measures!!!”

Trump called to free Peters last week too.

“The SLEAZEBAG Governor of Colorado, Jared Polis, refuses to allow an elderly woman, Tina Peters, who was unfairly convicted of what the Democrats do, cheating on Elections, out of jail! She was convicted for trying to stop Democrats from stealing Colorado Votes in the Election,” he wrote. “She was preserving Election Records, which she was obligated to do under Federal Law.”

Prisoners’ rights probably are being violated in Colorado, as they are in most prisons in this country. But it’s obvious that the Trump administration is more concerned with gaming the system than it is with prison conditions of any kind.