Former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters reportedly met with former President Donald Trump at the White House to discuss “election integrity” and plans for upcoming elections, according to a former U.S. Department of Justice attorney.
Ed Martin, who previously worked for the Justice Department, told Real America’s Voice on Monday that Peters, a Republican convicted of multiple felonies for her role in a security breach of her office’s election equipment, met with Trump. Martin stated that their discussion included federal involvement in the November midterm elections.
While Martin acknowledged that it is a local election with local control, he noted that federal laws govern the system, particularly regarding safety and national security. He said Trump is taking the issue seriously, referencing Peters’ presence in the Oval Office.
The specific nature of the plans Peters and Trump discussed remains unclear. The White House declined to comment, with spokesperson Lauren Bis stating that the White House “does not comment on private meetings that may or may not have happened.” Adrienne Mazzone, publicist for Peters’ attorney Peter Ticktin, also stated that Ticktin cannot discuss or confirm matters covered by attorney-client privilege. An unnamed source, however, confirmed to ABC News that Peters and Trump met on Monday.
Martin also mentioned the proposed SAVE America Act, which would mandate that voters nationwide present documents proving their citizenship. He said if Congress does not pass this act, “the president’s going to have to do what he’s going to do.”
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has claimed that foreign adversaries can access U.S. voting machines and “can change voter registration and your vote.” However, his department did not provide additional details to PolitiFact to clarify these assertions. An election technology expert informed PolitiFact that voter registration is separate from voting machines, and there is no proof that foreign actors have attempted to manipulate voting machine security controls.
The Department of Homeland Security has allocated $1 billion in taxpayer funds to protect elections, with specific requirements for government entities seeking grant funding. Department officials recently stated they do not intend to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to patrol polling places, though The Associated Press reported that voter advocates remain skeptical of this claim.
Trump has previously taken actions targeting mail ballots, although courts have blocked many of his efforts. This included an executive order that would have required states to notify the Postal Service if they intended to allow ballots to be sent through the mail. He has repeatedly claimed that mail-in voting is susceptible to widespread fraud. However, there is no evidence to support this claim, and instances of fraud with mail-in ballots are extremely rare. Post-election audits in Colorado consistently confirm that ballots are counted accurately. Despite his claims, Trump himself voted by mail in Florida’s GOP primary this year and has recently encouraged his supporters to vote by any available means, including mail.
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat, issued a statement calling Peters and Trump “election deniers who have repeatedly lied to the American people.” Griswold added that “Coloradans can rest assured knowing that we’ve so far defeated Trump’s unlawful attempts to influence election administration, and we will fight any attempt to interfere with Colorado elections.”
Earlier this year, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, also a Democrat, reduced Peters’ prison sentence, and the Colorado Department of Corrections released her in June.
