Ed Martin says Trump met Tina Peters in Oval Office on election "plans"; White House won't confirm
Former Justice Department official Ed Martin said on Real America's Voice that Tina Peters met Trump in the Oval Office to discuss "the plans" on election integrity. The White House declined to confirm the meeting, and Martin did not say what the plans were.
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The story, neutrally told
Left · 2Ed Martin, a former Justice Department official, said in an interview with Real America's Voice host Eric Bolling that Tina Peters, the former Colorado clerk, had been in the Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump about two hours earlier. Raw StoryL “Martin revealed the president's meeting with fellow 2020 election denier Tina Peters during an appearance with conservative host Eric Bolling on Real America's Voice, saying it had happened about two hours earlier.” Read at Raw Story ↗ The IndependentLC “Just hours ago, maybe two hours ago, Tina Peters, you know, from Colorado, was in the Oval Office meeting with the President on election integrity, and they were talking about the plans…” Read at The Independent ↗ Left · 2Martin said the meeting was about "election integrity" and that they were "talking about the plans", but he did not say what the plans were or what action Trump might take. Raw StoryL “Martin did not say what the "plans" were or what action Trump might take.” Read at Raw Story ↗ The IndependentLC “Tina Peters, you know, from Colorado, was in the Oval Office meeting with the President on election integrity, and they were talking about the plans…” Read at The Independent ↗ Left · 1The Independent reported that Martin placed the meeting on Monday; Raw Story did not give a day. The IndependentLC “claimed the meeting between Trump and Peters took place on Monday.” Read at The Independent ↗
Left · 1The White House has not confirmed it. Spokesperson Lauren Bis told The Independent: "We do not comment on private meetings that may or may not have happened." The IndependentLC ““We do not comment on private meetings that may or may not have happened.”” Read at The Independent ↗ Left · 2Martin linked the meeting to the stalled SAVE America Act, which would add citizenship documentation and ID requirements for federal elections. He said that if Congress does not pass it, "the president's going to have to do what he's going to do", and that it is "not a local issue when it's national security". Raw StoryL “"If the Congress won't pass the Save America Act, and they won't, then the president's going to have to do what he's going to do,"” Read at Raw Story ↗ The IndependentLC “then the president's going to have to do what he's going to do,”” Read at The Independent ↗ Left · 1Raw Story added that Martin cited an Aug. 24 letter from Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, which he said found voting machines use foreign parts and are "therefore compromised". The outlet said the letter tied federal security grants to random manual audits of paper ballots and that the review did not find any voting system had been compromised or any votes changed. Raw StoryL “Mullin's Aug. 24 letter said machines with components made by foreign adversaries posed "significant security risks," and it tied federal security grants to random manual audits of paper ballots” Read at Raw Story ↗
Left · 2Peters was convicted in August 2024 on seven counts, four of them felonies, over a 2021 breach of Mesa County's voting equipment. Prosecutors said she let an unauthorized person, linked to MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, access the system while looking for evidence of 2020 fraud. She received a nine-year sentence and has maintained her innocence. The IndependentLC “In August 2024, a jury convicted Peters on seven of 10 charges, including four felonies. She received a nine-year sentence that October.” Read at The Independent ↗ Raw StoryL “Prosecutors said she let an unauthorized person access the system while searching for evidence to support claims of fraud in the 2020 election.” Read at Raw Story ↗ Left · 2Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, reduced her sentence after months of public pressure from Trump. The Independent says he commuted it in May, citing a sentence he called "extremely unusual and lengthy" for a first-time, nonviolent offender. Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold called the decision a "dark day for democracy". The IndependentLC “In May, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, commuted her sentence and she walked free.”“Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold called it a “dark day for democracy”” Read at The Independent ↗ Raw StoryL “Colorado Gov. Jared Polis reduced Peters' prison sentence earlier this year under heavy pressure from Trump.” Read at Raw Story ↗ Left · 1The reported meeting comes about a month before the November midterms. The Independent noted polls suggest Republicans could lose seats and possibly their majorities in both chambers, and that Trump has repeatedly claimed without evidence that Democrats will cheat. The IndependentLC “The reported summit comes one month before the November midterms, with polls suggesting Republicans could lose seats, and potentially their majorities, in both the House and Senate.” Read at The Independent ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets treat Martin's remark as a revealing slip about Trump's midterm plans, and describe Peters as an 'election denier'. Raw Story adds context on the Mullin letter and Dominion; The Independent stresses the grim midterm outlook.
- Emphasis
- Martin's vague 'plans', the SAVE America Act, Peters' conviction and Trump's baseless fraud claims; The Independent also stresses the White House non-denial and Democratic criticism of Polis.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither outlet has independent confirmation of the meeting or details of what was discussed. Raw Story does not report a White House response, and The Independent does not include the Mullin letter context.
- Charged language
- “election denier”“lets slip”“strategy summit”“cause célèbre”
- For example
-
“Trump ally lets slip Oval Office meeting with election denier to discuss midterm 'plans'” — Raw Story
“Trump hosts election denier Tina Peters for strategy summit at White House as midterms look grim: insider” — The Independent
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Ed Martin said on Real America's Voice that Tina Peters met Trump in the Oval Office on election integrity and 'the plans'.
- Martin did not say what the plans were.
- Martin tied the issue to the stalled SAVE America Act and national security.
- Peters was convicted over a 2021 breach of Mesa County voting equipment and Gov. Polis later reduced her sentence.
Where accounts differ
-
Whether the meeting took place
- Left
- Both outlets rely only on Martin's account. The Independent reports the White House 'does not comment on private meetings that may or may not have happened'; Raw Story does not report a White House response.
Ed Martin person
Says Peters met Trump on election integrity and 'the plans', argues national security gives the federal government a role in elections, and suggests Trump may act on his own if Congress does not pass the SAVE America Act.
“"The president's taking it seriously," Martin said.” — Raw Story
““Well, let me break some news,”” — The Independent
Tina Peters person
Per the reporting, she has maintained her innocence, saying she was trying to expose fraud in 2020. No comment from her on the reported meeting is given.
“Peters, however, maintained her innocence, saying she was trying to expose fraud in the 2020 election.” — The Independent
Donald Trump person
The White House spokesperson declined to comment on the reported meeting. Trump has publicly pressed for Peters' release and claims the 2020 election was stolen.
““We do not comment on private meetings that may or may not have happened.”” — The Independent
“Trump spent months publicly pressing for Peters’ release” — The Independent
Left2 articles
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Trump ally lets slip Oval Office meeting with election denier to discuss midterm 'plans'
Critical Presents Martin's remark as an inadvertent disclosure and adds fact-check context on the Mullin letter, Dominion settlement and 2020 claims.
-
Critical Frames the meeting as a strategy summit amid poor midterm prospects, citing an 'insider' while noting the White House would not confirm.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 6 Oct 14:02 First Raw StoryL Trump ally lets slip Oval Office meeting with election denier to discuss midterm 'plans'
- 6 Oct 21:11 +7h 9m The IndependentLC Trump hosts election denier Tina Peters for strategy summit at White House as midterms look grim: insider
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.