Trump vows 'harsh measures' if Colorado does not free Tina Peters

President Donald Trump on Thursday vowed to take "harsh measures" if the state of Colorado did not release Tina Peters, a former Colorado county clerk serving an 8.5-year prison sentence over her attempts to monitor an election machine software update.

"FREE TINA PETERS, a brave and innocent Patriot who has been tortured by Crooked Colorado politicians, including the big Mail-In Ballot supporting the governor of the State," Trump posted on X. "Let Tina Peters out of jail, RIGHT NOW. She did nothing wrong, except catching the Democrats cheat in the   Election. She is an old woman, and very sick. If she is not released, I am going to take harsh measures!!!"

Peters was convicted for illicitly taking a security badge to permit a man affiliated with MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell to copy the hard drive of a ballot marking machine prior to a software update for which the county would not allow her to have an official tech expert present.

The prosecution argued that she was trying to become famous by highlighting alleged shortcomings in the election security apparatus of the state.