CNN Confronts Dem for Pardoning Trump Election Denier: ‘You May Not Be the Best Messenger on Election Integrity’
CNN’s Laura Coates asked Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) about President Donald Trump’s election fraud speech — then pointed out he might not be “the best messenger” on the subject.
Polis appeared Friday on Laura Coates Live, just days after he penned a Facebook post slamming Democratic Socialists.
Coates was blunt:
LAURA COATES: You know, you and I have spoken about this in the past, and I’m curious of your take, given his speech, because you did grant clemency to an election denier, Tina Peters.
She met with Trump at the White House after she was released. She praised the president for the very same speech that you obviously take issue with, and went as far as to urge him to declare a national emergency.
What do you say to people who think that based on your actions of granting that clemency, you may not be the best messenger on election integrity, in this issue?
JARED POLIS: Well, I think if anything, I have a greater moral ability to talk about it because I’m able to say that, look, even though she has abhorrent opinions that, you know, she expresses and has expressed, we’re not a country where we put people in jail for that.
You’re in jail for specific crimes. She committed a crime, and there would have been a normal sentence for it. That would have been two or three or four years.
But the judge cited her speech as a reason for giving her a sentence that was a lot longer than an ordinary sentence for that kind of crime. That’s not right.
In our country we need to call out these false talking points in a matter of debate, not seek to imprison people who have these viewpoints. Of course, if they commit crimes, they should do the time for whatever they do.
But in the meantime, we need to have this honest debate and convince and win the hearts and the minds of the American people that our elections are free and fair.
And we have dedicated election personnel, county clerks, volunteers who fight to keep it that way every day on the front lines. And they certainly have my gratitude.
Peters was found guilty of scheming with associates of election conspiracy theorist and “MyPillow guy” Mike Lindell to prove the 2020 election was rigged against Trump.
She was sentenced to nine years in prison, a term she was serving when Polis commuted her sentence in May, earning him a censure from fellow Democrats.
Watch above via CNN.
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