{"id":39312,"date":"2022-07-22T03:24:58","date_gmt":"2022-07-22T09:24:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/new-arrest-warrant-alleges-tina-peters-violated-court-order-bond-conditions\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T02:49:01","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T08:49:01","slug":"new-arrest-warrant-alleges-tina-peters-violated-court-order-bond-conditions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/new-arrest-warrant-alleges-tina-peters-violated-court-order-bond-conditions\/","title":{"rendered":"New arrest warrant alleges Tina Peters violated court order, bond conditions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Mesa
Mesa County clerk Tina Peters, who was indicted in March on 11 felony and misdemeanor charges related to allegations she and others tampered with secure voting equipment and software, talks to well-wishers at a rally April 5, in downtown Denver. (David Zalubowski\/Associated Press file)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

An arrest warrant was issued Thursday afternoon for indicted Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters \u2013 the second in as many weeks \u2013 after she allegedly violated a protection order and the conditions of her bond by sending an email seeking a recount of votes in the Republican primary for secretary of state last month, which she lost.<\/p>\n

The warrant, sought by the Fruita Police Department, alleges Peters sent the email on Wednesday at about 2:45 a.m. to Mesa County Elections Director Brandi Bantz, with whom she is barred from having contact.<\/p>\n

A warrant was issued for Peters\u2019 arrest last week after she traveled to Las Vegas without first getting a judge\u2019s permission as is required. She traveled to Nevada to speak at a conference.<\/p>\n

The warrant was quashed, however, after Peters\u2019 criminal defense attorney, Harvey Steinberg, took responsibility for failing to let the court know about Peters\u2019 travels and for not knowing that her bond conditions had changed to require court approval for out-of-state trips.<\/p>\n

In quashing the warrant, Mesa County District Court Judge Matthew David Barrett instructed Peters to carefully abide by her bond conditions going forward.<\/p>\n

Peters was indicted in March on 10 counts, including allegations of attempting to influence a public servant and criminal impersonation. The charges stem from a security breach of her county\u2019s election system last year.<\/p>\n

Mesa County Deputy Clerk Belinda Knisley and the former Mesa County elections manager, Sandra Brown, have also been charged in the election system security breach.<\/p>\n

Peters, an election conspiracy theorist, was running for Colorado secretary of state but lost in the June 28 Republican primary.<\/p>\n

Peters sought a recount of the votes in the primary, alleging malfeasance but failing to provide any evidence. She did not, however, pay for the recount up front \u2013 roughly $250,000 \u2013 as is required by the Colorado Secretary of State\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, Peters sent an email to several individual county clerks, including elections officials in Mesa County, saying that she would be requesting a hand recount from them.<\/p>\n

The Colorado County Clerks Association said the request was improper.<\/p>\n

\u201cTina Peters\u2019 request again shows her complete lack of knowledge about the rules and laws that underpin Colorado elections,\u201d Matt Crane, executive director of the Colorado County Clerks Association, said in a written statement. \u201cThere is nothing in Colorado law that allows her to make this request directly to one or more counties. Our clerks have been working diligently throughout this primary election to carry out the full range of tests, audits and other checks they complete each election. And again, our results were proven safe and accurate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crane added that \u201cPeters\u2019 request is part of a larger effort to create chaos, disrupt, and cause doubt in our elections.<\/p>\n

\u201cVoters already sent a resounding message to these people by ensuring that election deniers on the ballot across the state were rejected,\u201d he said. \u201cThis seems like just another stunt to try and seem legitimate. At this point, rather than trying to continue to deceive Colorado citizens with her election lies and lack of knowledge, we encourage Tina to let the true election professionals in Colorado continue to do the work that voters elected them to do, which is run accessible, secure, and transparent elections for Colorado citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n

A message left Thursday evening for Steinberg, Peters\u2019 criminal defense attorney, was not immediately returned.<\/p>\n

The Colorado Sun is a reader-supported, nonpartisan news organization dedicated to covering Colorado issues. To learn more, go to coloradosun.com<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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