The state’s ethics commission has decided to proceed with the three ethics complaints filed against former Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters.

The ethics complaints against Peters have been on hold because of the recently-concluded criminal trial tied to a security breach with elections equipment at the recorder’s office in 2021. Peters was sentenced to nine years in Mesa County jail and state prison for charges.

She is appealing the decision.

In an order issued on Monday, Colorado’s Independent Ethics Commission said that, given that the criminal trial took two and a half years, any further delays would be prejudicial to the complainant, Anne Landman of Grand Junction.

  • August 2021: The complaint claimed Peters accepted thousands of dollars in services, travel, security and favors from Lindell for a cyber symposium in South Dakota.
  • January 2022: The complaint alleged Peters operated a criminal legal defense fund in violation of the ethics law, specifically, a “violation of the public trust by attempting to realize personal financial gain through her public office.” Secondly, the complaint alleged she was operating the fund in violation of ethics commission guidelines on solicitations and acceptance of funds for defense in criminal actions. Those guidelines require public disclosure of all donations and that the fund cannot be administered by someone directly affiliated with Peters. Landman wrote that Peters was operating the fund in her capacity as an elected official and not as a private citizen. Peters has never disclosed the identity of those donors.
  • May 2022: The complaint alleged Peters accepted an $800,000 contribution from Lindell, based on a statement by Lindell in Denver on April 5, 2022. By then, Peters had taken down the “StandWithTina.org” legal defense fund website and moved her fundraising to Lindell’s “Legal Offense Fund,” which is based in another state.