"CBS Evening News" anchor Tony Dokoupil speaks with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis about vaccine mandates, fraud, the Tina Peters case and more.

Colorado

Governor Jared Polis of Colorado, in his final term, discussed his distinct political approach, which blends Democratic affiliation with libertarian-leaning, pro-freedom policies. He highlighted his support for personal choice on issues such as vaccine mandates, legalization of lemonade stands for children, and other measures reflecting individual liberty.

Polis addressed recent CDC vaccine recommendations, emphasizing parental choice and the importance of providing accurate information. He also commented on federal scrutiny over child care funding and fraud, noting Colorado's low fraud rates. On the topic of clemency, Polis stated that each case, including that of Mesa County clerk Tina Peters, is considered on its merits, with a focus on accountability and second chances.

Colorado Gov. Polis on his unique brand of politics, vaccines and more

We are back live tonight from Union Station in Denver, Colorado. And Colorado is interesting. It's been a reliably blue state in recent years. But talking to voters on the streets of Denver, you do get a sense of how free-minded people here can be in a state where about half of voters don't identify with any political party at all. And that is reflected by the man serving his final term as their governor, Jared Polis. He is a Democrat officially, but he's sometimes described as a Western libertarian. And he doesn't have to face the voters again, unless, of course, he runs for president. Governor, welcome to the CBS Evening News. Tony, welcome to Denver Union Station. We're so excited to have you here. I fit the part, right? You like the coat? You're dressed more Colorado than me. I thought I had to dress all up for this big show. Well, let's talk about you, because I'm trying to figure you out tonight. You've been described as a politically endangered species, and I think it's because people can't put you in a category. On the one hand, you're pro unpasteurized milk. You've legalized this lemonade stand for kids thing. You've legalized magic mushrooms. You've opposed vaccine mandates. Where do you fit politically? Do you think there's a lesson in your success? I think a good way to say it is pro-freedom, right? So talk about lemonade stands for kids, it means you don't need a permit for your kid to open a lemonade stand in your neighborhood, right? I'm pro-vax. Me and my family are vaxed. I don't think the government should force you to get vaxed. Education, absolutely, the importance of health. So pro-freedom. So then talk to me more about the vaccine situation, because you have opposed vaccine mandates. You're pro-freedom. Where does that mean you come down on the CDC's new moves here, recommending fewer shots for kids today? Well, those are recommendations, obviously. And I think- Do you support them? We separate in Colorado. We use some of the national recommendations that, you know, again, it's up to each parent to make that decision for their kids. It's good to put the best possible information in front of people. In most cases, getting vaccinated is the best way to protect your health and your kid's health. Speaking of the best possible information, the Trump administration is fighting in court to withhold billions of dollars in child care funding from your state and four others, all tied to potential fraud. Can you bottom line it for us? Is there fraud in this state? Is it a real problem? Look, we welcome any way to look at fraud and defeat it. I mean, we see the federal government as a partner in that. Freezing it before they found any fraud, that's really inappropriate. So let's work together to do it. Have you found any fraud? We have one of the lower fraud rates of every state. Every state is going to have some misuse of funds. We have one of the lower ones of 50%. So as you see, it's a real problem, but not a big problem. No, look, every dollar of wasted taxpayer money is a real problem that we should take seriously. Let's talk about Tina Peters. She's a Mesa County clerk. She's in jail right now, 73 years old. Her crime was unauthorized access to voting machines in 2020. President Trump wants this woman out of prison. You seem to oppose him on this at state charges, but now maybe you're coming around, I read. What are you thinking on Tina Peters? Well, look, you can't give the president the headspace on this. You look at every case on clemency, on the merits, right? You have somebody who is nonviolent, first time offender, elderly. On the other hand, does she take full accountability for a crime? We don't look at this in isolation. I have dozens of these requests that we look at regularly, and I want to make sure we don't look at this one in any different way. So you're thinking about it. We're thinking about all of them. Look, any governor, any executive is able to provide a check through this ability to reduce sentences. And we look at that in dozens of cases every year. And in my last year, I certainly mercy and giving people a second chance. It's a core value of mine, and I'm really looking to do it in other ways that can help people. All right, Governor Polis, I know you're sticking around for some additional questions. We really appreciate you coming by and spending some time with us. Thank you very much. Thank you, Tony.

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Breakdown