A Mesa County clerk who promoted voter fraud theories about the 2020 presidential election turned herself in to authorities in Mesa County, Colorado, Thursday morning on charges of obstructing law enforcement.
Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters turned herself in days after she allegedly illegally recorded video footage of a court hearing Monday for her deputy clerk Belinda Knisley, who was facing a felony charge of second-degree burglary and a misdemeanor cybercrime charge. Knisley pleaded “not guilty” of both charges.
Peters was issued a search warrant Tuesday for a white iPad that allegedly held the illegal video footage taken Monday, but she refused to hand the iPad over and resisted arrest, even moving to kick an officer when the Grand Junction Police Department attempted to handcuff her, officials said.
COLORADO SECRETARY OF STATE SUBPOENAS SECOND GOP COUNTY CLERK ACCUSED OF ELECTION BREACH
“At this point, the suspect attempted to kick back with her right leg to strike Officer Tafoya,” the affidavit said, according to NBC affiliate 9News. “She missed Officer Tafoya’s body, but did contact Officer Tafoya’s Taser and magazine pouch where they were located on Officer Tafoya’s belt. I told the suspect, ‘Do not kick! Do you understand!?’ Sgt. Church also asked the suspect to ‘please relax,’ which she yelled, ‘No!'”
Peters was released at the scene after investigators with the district attorney asked the officers not to press charges, as they were considering similar charges, according to the affidavit. However, Wednesday’s arrest affidavit was for the events that took place Tuesday, rather than a part of other law enforcement investigations, according to a Facebook post from the police department.
Rory McShane, a spokesman for Peters, told CNN that Peters’s defense team was challenging the affidavit, saying officers tried to seize the county clerk’s keys in addition to the iPad despite their absence from the warrant.
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Peters was released on a $500 bail Thursday afternoon and has her first court appearance for the obstruction on March 3.
State and federal authorities are also investigating claims that Peters was behind a security breach in election equipment last year. Peters denies illegal activity, but Colorado’s Secretary of State Jena Griswold is suing in an attempt to block her from overseeing the 2022 midterm elections.
