Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters bonds out of jail
MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO)-- A Mesa County judge on Thursday issued a $25,000 cash or surety bond for Tina Peters. Later Thursday night, she was no longer listed as an inmate on the Mesa County Jail log.
Peters appeared virtually from the Mesa County Jail, where the judge ordered she not have any contact with her deputy clerk Belinda Knisley, anyone listed as a victim in her indictment, as well as give up her passport. She's not allowed to leave the state.
Peters surrendered to authorities on Wednesday, after a grand jury indictment was issued. She's charged with seven felony counts, three misdemeanors. Peters is accused of heading a deceptive scheme to breach state elections systems after county voting machine passwords ended up online.
Ultimately, the judge cited the lack of criminal history for lowering her bond from the $500,000 bond that was issued when she was arrested Wednesday.
In his argument against lenient bond for Peters, District Attorney Daniel Rubenstein told the judge, "Ms. Peters has continued to spiral, including having the situation which led to her attempting to donkey kick police officers on video."
Video of her 'donkey kick" towards an officer is shown in body cam video provided by Grand Junction Police during her first arrest on February 8.
Peters has also gone on nationwide tours, hailed as a hero by those who buy into election conspiracy theories, including MyPillow founder Mike Lindell.
"Peters has a history of leaving the state, disappearing for long periods of time on the private plane of Mr. [Mike] Lindell. We are also asking that she surrender her passport and not be permitted to travel outside of Colorado," Rubenstein said.
As for her quest to be Colorado Secretary of State, the Colorado GOP on Wednesday asked her to suspend her campaign.
Current Mesa County Treasurer, Republican Sheila Reiner, who was the clerk in Mesa County before Peters, is also asking her to leave her county role.
"She should have the integrity to withdraw her campaign for [Colorado] Secretary of State and furthermore resign from her position as Clerk and Recorder for Mesa County."
Reiner says it's been hard to watch what's happened to her old job.
"Talking to people from all over the nation, they're like, 'Oh, you're from that crazy county?'" she said.
Reiner adds on top of all that, the ongoing drama has prevented Peters from properly fulfilling her duties in Mesa County.
"She's still pulling a county paycheck and really hasn't been present for the past six months."
