Tina on Bannon’s War Room the morning after a Mesa County jury convicted her of 4 felonies and 3 misdemeanor counts related to her election tampering case.
Tina Peters’ criminal trial finally played out this past week, three years after she was accused of engaging in multiple felonies as Mesa County Clerk. The trial is being live-streamed by KREX, and you can watch it whenever Court is in session. The link to watch it is here, but if you haven’t tuned in yet, you’ve missed most of it. The prosecution and defense rested their cases Friday, August 9. Monday will bring closing arguments and jury instructions before the jury is sent to deliberate Tina’s fate. The judge said he thought the remaining phases of trial would likely be completed by noon on Monday, August 12.
Lots of information was presented at the trial, much of which the public hasn’t known about before, and most of it quite damning to Tina. Here are some of the biggest take-aways from the trial this week:
–Belinda Knisley, Tina’s Deputy Clerk, testified that after Tina found out the passwords to Mesa County’s voting machines had been posted on the internet by a conspiracy theorist, Tina phoned Belinda and said “I’m fucked. I’m going to jail.” Belinda said Tina repeated that same thing in almost all later conversations they had.
Stephanie Wenholz, August, 2023 (Photo: X)
—Tina told her elections department subordinates Belinda Knisley and Sandra Brown to go out and buy “burner phones” (pre-paid disposable cell phones) to discuss the caper instead of using their work or personal phones to talk to her. She told them their personal and work phones were being monitored.
–Sherronna Bishop told Tina, Belinda and other participants to use the encrypted messaging app Signal, which is supposed to be secure, for instant messaging each other. Despite this, their Signal chats were featured as prominent evidence in the case.
—Tina had a “hidey hole” in her house in which she stashed a cell phone that investigators failed to find when they first searched her house while executing a search warrant on November 16, 2021. When they finally found it, they found damning text messages on it that were exchanged between Tina, Sherronna and Conan Hayes, and some less-than-conclusive conversations with Gerald Wood. The information on the suspects’ electronic devices was apparently extracted by the FBI.
— Sherronna Bishop is an unindicted co-conspirator in the case. She was the ringleader who facilitated the entire caper. Sherronna was in touch with the Ohio math teacher-turned-paid-employee of Mike Lindell named Douglas Frank, who the L.A. Times called “the Johnny Appleseed of election fraud.” Frank was being paid by Lindell to travel around the country promoting election fraud conspiracies to county clerks. Sherronna invited Frank to meet with the employees of the Mesa County Clerk’s office. Sherronna also arranged for Conan Hayes to fly to G.J. from California, obtain a fake County ID with a high security clearance and she booked a room for Hayes at the Hampton Inn on Main Street in downtown G.J., just steps from the Clerk’s office, using her own personal credit card. Sherronna concocted the scheme to create the fake ID and security clearance Tina had made for Gerald Wood, and that Tina then used to smuggle Conan Hayes into the highly secure room where Mesa County’s voting machines are kept, and where the official update of the voting machine software, the so-called “Trusted Build,” took place.
—Belinda Knisely served 30 days in jail for her part in the criminal scheme. Belinda admitted taking part in the scheme and cooperated with law enforcement. Her 30-day jail sentence was part of a plea deal in which she agreed to testify against Tina at trial in exchange for felony charges against her being dropped to misdemeanors. Belinda is now barred from working in government Clerks’ offices. (My opinion: Based on the sentence Belinda got, it would be hard to believe that if Tina is found guilty, she would do any less time than Belinda has already done.)
Mug shots of Tina Peters (L), and Belinda Knisely (R). Knisely was Peters’ former deputy clerk,
—Stephanie Wenholz, who also worked in the elections office at the time of the crimes, started to cry on the witness stand when talking about a press release the Colorado Secretary of State had issued saying they had opened an investigation into the Mesa County Clerk & Recorder’s office due to a breach of the election equipment. When asked why she was so upset by that, Wenholz said was concerned about the damage the investigation would do to the office’s reputation and its perception of trustworthiness among constituents. Notably, Wenholz didn’t mention being concerned about how the investigation might affect her personally.
—Even though she was not an employee of the Elections Department and didn’t work for the county in any capacity, Sherronna Bishop ordered two employees in the Clerk’s office to remove a computer “tower” from the election office quickly, before investigators arrived. Both employees testified that they refused Sherronna’s order because she didn’t work there and they knew it would be wrong to do that.
— Gerald Wood said in court that “Tina slandered me,” and in his testimony told how the events Tina set in motion had turned his life upside down. He said he had never agreed to let someone else use the County ID card that Tina had instructed him to get.
After seeing all the evidence and listening to all the witnesses, even hard core election deniers might well have to recognize that Tina’s actions have taken a big toll on Mesa County and its residents, and not just in the sense of the millions of dollars Tina’s actions have cost local taxpayers, but in a human toll as well. Tina’s exploits ruined the lives of many people, including Stephanie Wenholz, Belinda Knisely, Sandra Brown, Gerald Wood and others who were pulled into her scheme and affected by her lies and deceit. Tina also damaged the reputation of the Mesa County Clerk and Recorder’s office among its constituents and with the Secretary of State’s office. The case has drawn national interest and negative attention to Mesa County, and made the County look like a national center of election denial extremism and lawlessness.
Gerald Wood
The prosecution presented a mountain of evidence and put on a very damning case against Tina. The defense was weak, drawn out, boring and filled with computer minutiae, and Tina’s attorneys constantly tried to bring in “evidence” questioning the function of voting machines that had been disallowed at the start of the trial, all of which brought repeated rebukes from the Judge, and appeared to stress the judge and test his temper.
The jury is scheduled to get the case on Monday and will likely return a verdict in the case sometime next week.
Additional reading: Colorado Newsline, Tina Peters’ former staff members testify against her in Mesa County election security trial, August 8, 2024, Sharon Sullivan
GUILTY on 7/10 counts. So Tina better enjoy what’s left of her freedumb, because for the mockery she tried to make of the court and justice system, among a complete lack of contrition…decades of prison awaits.
Tina couldn’t be bothered to testify on her on behalf on Friday, because much like Trump, she feared having her pathological lies fact-checked by the prosecutors in front of the Jury. So if convicted on all counts, perhaps this makes Tina Peters more the Johnny Hayseed of Election Fraud? As first thing Monday are closing arguments, which the defense will again waste on merely a grandstanding exercise of words to satisfy all their political donors, and thereby granting prosecution the privilege to bat away all this nonsense with proven facts. But afterwards I def don’t expect for a very long jury deliberation considering all the irrefutable evidence and really look forward to the news cycle really sending the message of what happens when you abandon with your duties as sworn election officials to commit partisan crimes. Because you know the crackpot GOP is cooking up all kinds of hijinks for this next election, esp in swing states like George, out of desperation for their increasingly deranged candidate.
This whole unconscionable debacle fits the “Messy County Good Ol’ Boys” label….sadly. I hope justice is served!
Fascinating read Anne! Maybe Sherronna Bishop will be charged after Peters is convicted. Thanks for the update.
“At least thirty days” vs 20 years???
I predict a hung jury. I would bet there are a few jury members who are thinking ‘there’s got to be more to this’…despite the prosecution shielding the case from anything pertaining to motive.
I also think Shapiro’s arrogance is a problem…for instance implying a ride in a private plane would be considered a huge benefit for people like Bishop and Peters and that is why they did what they did.
Which makes me wonder why Shapiro got to speak to motivation. Lots of inconsistencies.
The motive is irrelevant. You can believe you are a Jedi all you want, but wacking someone with a toy lightsaber is assault no matter how firmly you believe the other guy is a Sith. The belief that it is justified does not make the crime acceptable.
The ride in the private plane was a huge financial benefit and an illegal gift for Tina to accept as an elected official in Colorado. Article 29 of the Colorado constitution, “Ethics in Government,” forbids elected officials from accepting any gift valued at over $50. Flights in private jets easily cost tens of thousands of dollars. Tina violated Article 29 many times over while she was Clerk, particularly by accepting at least $800,000 from Mr. Pillow Mike Lindell for her legal defense. You can read Article 29 here: https://iec.colorado.gov/sites/iec/files/documents/Colo%20Const%20art%20XXIX%20FR.pdf
Thanks Anne! Greatly appreciate your summary of the trial so far. Tina still getting her mug shots in the press, loving all that publicity.
C’mon now. Wenholz went along with this whole thing right up until she saw consequences for herself. She personally attended that fated meeting where this whole scheme was cooked up, so let’s not absolve her of complicit involvement simply because she wasn’t charged. Because many minor players in criminal conspiracies are offered immunity from prosecution in exchange for testimony, which appears to be the case here but will not be acknowledged until after the trial is concluded. I also don’t think someone shown to have such a flexible moral compass should still be serving anywhere near an elections office either, as it casts a poor lingering shadow and ignores her inexcusable lapse responsibly as public employee in a trust position to report as well as refuse to engage in illegal activity. Although let’s face it though, in Mesa County, that’s certainly not been an enforced code-of-conduct and rather many folks seem selected for their jobs based on their checkered past. As too many corrupt sycophants remain throughout our local gov, whom long lauded and enabled people like Tina Peters right along with her old pal Janet Rowland. Chief Legal Officer Todd Starr certainly comes to mind..
Did she? Why don’t you provide the documentation to prove your assertion. Sounds somewhat libelous to me.
She wasn’t charged, she did nothing wrong and she’s an exemplary employee.
She immediately turned over the recording to law enforcement when she found out the office was being investigated. I wonder why she made a recording?
Libelous? LOL. By all means, counselor, please sue me or stfu with that nonsensical jargon. Besides…who are you exactly? An A-hole pretend lawyer, maybe Wenholz herself, or just some doubt-peddling sycophant pretending to have a clue of this situation.
Why did she make a recording indeed? WHAT A TRULY GREAT QUESTION. Almost makes you wonder as to Intent, as seems to suggest she knew this was wrong and was a willing collaborator but also wanted to cover her ass in case of consequence. . So a real stand-up character to be sure, esp by such have-it-both-way duplicity. Please though, ask more of these logical questions…as clearly haven’t thought the answers.
Stephanie Wenholz was never criminally charged, to the best of my knowledge. She is a valued employee and still works for the Clerk and Recorder’s office.
Sandra Brown and Knisley were both charged, I believe.
It would be a good idea to correct your blog.
Thank you.
Anne, on 8/6/2024, I received 6 “Anne Landman Blogs” in various foreign languages, which contained nonsense content. I believe these represented some type of hack, you know, the type of thing Putin’s bots do. So refreshing to see an authentic post from you.
My blog was hacked twice that day. As soon as we got the first hack cleaned up, the hackers struck a second time. We got that cleaned up and I changed my password to the site and instituted 2 factor authentication, which then didn’t work and shut me out of the blog completely. We managed to fix that, and so I’m back. And by the way, readers’ donations help me pay for a WordPress Tech Help service that got me back on track that day. I retain them especially to help get me out of scrapes like that, and to keep the site updated appropriately so it functions correctly. Thanks so much to all of you who donate! You really do help keep the site up and functioning.
Like my Dad would say, “Put her so far back in the cell they gotta pipe her the food”.
Across the country where this kinda crap went on – they are all just as guilty, bet on it.
Expect some sort of kalabule from the jury or others.
Thanks to you for a great summary.
Anne – Thank you so much for the update. I had hoped for more on the local news, but that certainly didn’t happen. So, Thank you!
Where are all the comments from the election deniers? Crickets. It’s because this is an open and shut case. You’d have to be a very deceitful juror to side against the prosecution. Tina proves wholeheartedly that Mesa County votes for the least qualified candidates. It’s cost us millions. Republicans, please stop voting for extremism.
Yes, Bishop, Hayes and Lindell all need their day in court. The plot thickens as testimonies clarify their involvement in the background. Maybe Tina doesn’t mind being the fall guy for them all but that does not serve justice in this case. How did they overlook these fellow felons??
This is an easy case for the prosecution unless there is a juror who will try to nullify the verdict. Everyone in the courtroom is waiting for that and should be prepared to substitute a juror who has snuck onto the jury by lying about whether their mind was made up. Otherwise the Tina’s lawyers are trying to nit pick hoping they will get it reversed on appeal. Tina has been through many lawyers in this case and the rest seems to be that she has less than adequate ones. Their aggressiveness is not appreciated by the court and has aurally turned the jury against Tina. This will be viewed by many as a political trial—which Tina wants.
Sherronna Bishop, Conan Hayes, the Pillow Guy and others must Abe waiting for more indictments because all seem to be involved in a conspiracy with Tina. Why the Mesa Co. DA or the feds haven’t indicted them is surprising, but their time may come.