Joe.My.God. LGBT News
The Colorado Sun reports:
Indicted Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters’ deputy, Belinda Knisley, has agreed to cooperate with investigators and testify in court against her former boss as part of a plea deal announced Thursday by prosecutors.
The deal represents a significant threat to Peters’ defense against felony charges stemming from a security breach of her county’s election system last year during a software update when election system passwords were photographed and later posted online.
Knisley, 67, pleaded guilty Thursday to trespassing, first-degree official misconduct and violation of duty, all misdemeanors. The felony counts against Knisley, who was indicted alongside Peters in March, were dismissed.
Denver’s NBC affiliate reports:
Knisley admitted her roles during the hearing but maintained she was “directed” by Peters to do what she did. That caused Judge Matthew Barrett to question whether Knisley was really taking responsibility for actions and gave him reservations about the deal which called for no incarceration.
He made it clear he felt her crimes warranted time behind bars, but ultimately he accepted the deal, but warned Knisely that should she ever come before him in court again he wouldn’t be as lenient.
Peters was indicted on 10 counts and Knisley on six. Both were under investigation related to their involvement in a 2021 data security breach with the county’s election equipment, according to the indictment.
Denver’s ABC affiliate reports:
Embattled Mesa County Clerk & Recorder Tina Peters is suing Secretary of State Jena Griswold, as well as every other county clerk & recorder in the State of Colorado. She asks the court to order that all expenses incurred by prior recounts and any future recounts be done on taxpayer money pulled from the state’s general fund or the county funds.
Peters also asks that the state return the entirety of the funds she provided for her previous recounts. Peters’ has already cost Mesa County taxpayers at least $1.3 million. Most of the money collected by Peters to pay for the recount came from individual donors, and it is unclear if she plans to return that money to her donors at this time.
Tina Peters’ deputy pleads guilty, agrees to testify against the indicted Mesa County clerk https://t.co/5RxSPEam3D
— The Colorado Sun (@ColoradoSun) August 25, 2022