Former Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters, who is accused of election tampering and other charges, has been granted another postponement in her criminal trial. Peters, who has denied any wrongdoing, changed her legal team for the second time and requested more time to prepare for her defense.

Peters dismissed her second set of attorneys

Peters appeared in a review hearing on Tuesday before District Judge Matthew Barrett, where she announced that she had dismissed her Denver attorneys Douglas Richards and Madalia Maaliki, who were representing her in the criminal case. Peters said she had retained new legal representation, but did not disclose their names. She asked the judge for a continuance, saying she needed more time to review the evidence and discuss the case with her new lawyers.

Judge Barrett granted Peters’ request, despite the objections of the prosecution, who argued that the trial had already been delayed twice and that the witnesses and the public deserved a speedy resolution. The judge rescheduled the trial for late July and August, and set a new date for Peters to appear in court on July 30.

Peters faces multiple felony and misdemeanor charges

Peters was indicted in March 2022 by a grand jury on seven felony charges and three misdemeanors, related to her alleged involvement in a scheme to tamper with the 2020 election results in Mesa County. According to the indictment, Peters and two co-defendants, Gerald Wood and Jeffrey Klancke, accessed and altered the election equipment without authorization, and leaked sensitive information to a right-wing conspiracy theorist. Peters also allegedly used the identity of a former employee to access the system.

Peters has maintained her innocence and claimed that she was exposing fraud and corruption in the election process. She has also been a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump, who lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden but refused to concede and spread false claims of widespread voter fraud. Peters has been suspended from her office by a court order, and a new clerk has been appointed to oversee the elections in Mesa County.

Peters faces another lawsuit from the Secretary of State

In addition to the criminal case, Peters is also facing a civil lawsuit from the Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, who accused Peters of violating state laws and rules regarding the security and integrity of the election equipment. Griswold has asked the court to impose sanctions and penalties on Peters, and to bar her from ever holding public office again.

Griswold has also launched an investigation into the election irregularities in Mesa County, and has ordered a forensic audit of the voting machines. She has said that Peters’ actions have compromised the trust and confidence of the voters in the county, and have undermined the democratic process.

Peters has challenged Griswold’s authority and jurisdiction, and has filed a counterclaim against her, alleging that Griswold violated her constitutional rights and abused her power. Peters has also sought to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that it is politically motivated and baseless.