DENVER – Colorado has announced it will not be transferring a former county clerk, who has become a prominent figure among election conspiracy supporters, to federal custody, despite a request from the Trump administration, according to state officials on Wednesday.

The Colorado Department of Corrections confirmed that there will be no transfer for Tina Peters, who was found guilty last year for her role in a plan to compromise voting machine data in Mesa County, a plot fueled by unfounded allegations of fraud in the 2020 election.

“The decision to transfer an inmate is solely within the jurisdiction of the Colorado Department of Corrections and is not influenced by external parties,” department spokesperson Alondra Gonzalez-Garcia clarified in an email.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons has opted not to provide any comments on the matter.

Tina Peters, aged 70, is currently serving her nine-year sentence at a state facility located in Pueblo.

The Bureau of Prisons requested on Nov. 12 that the state corrections department transfer her to federal custody to serve her sentence. The reason isn’t known.

A copy of the request released by the state corrections department was heavily redacted. The department said releasing that information was “contrary to the public interest.”

Peters’ release has become a cause celebre in the election conspiracy movement. On Sunday, President Donald Trump renewed his call for her to be set free. One of Peters’ lawyers, Peter Ticktin, suggested on Trump ally Steve Bannon’s podcast this week that the military be used to free Peters from prison.

County clerks in Colorado of various political affiliations blame Peters for making their jobs more dangerous by fueling distrust in the voting system. They have been urging Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, to definitively reject the federal transfer request.

In a statement Tuesday, a Polis spokesperson praised the integrity of the state’s election system and said the governor welcomes a chance to meet with the clerks about the federal transfer request but did not directly address it.

“Governor Polis takes his responsibilities seriously and has been clear that he will take threats from the federal government head-on – especially when they undermine our democracy – which is why we have vigorously defended Colorado’s values during this turbulent time,” Polis spokesperson Shelby Wieman said.

Matt Crane, executive director of the Colorado County Clerks Association, said the state corrections department is ultimately under Polis’ control and will do what he directs it to.

“The open-ended statement from the Department of Corrections does not alleviate our concerns,” he said.