Wisconsin Panel Refers Musk $1 Million Election Bribery Case in 5-1 Vote
Updated
Updated · WISN Milwaukee · Jul 14
Wisconsin Panel Refers Musk $1 Million Election Bribery Case in 5-1 Vote
3 articles · Updated · WISN Milwaukee · Jul 14
Summary
A bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission found probable cause Elon Musk violated state election bribery law and sent two complaints to the Brown County district attorney in a 5-1 vote.
The finding centers on a social media post offering $1 million to people who voted in the 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court race, which commissioners said was meant to induce voting.
Musk also handed out two $1 million checks at a Green Bay event for Brad Schimel and offered $100 to registered voters who signed a petition opposing "activist judges."
The referral follows failed efforts by Attorney General Josh Kaul to stop the giveaways before the election, which Schimel ultimately lost to Susan Crawford.
Could a Wisconsin bribery charge impact Musk's leadership roles at his global tech companies?
Will this high-profile case lead to stricter rules on campaign finance and judicial ethics nationwide?
How will this case redefine the legal line between encouraging voting and illegally inducing it?
Election Bribery Charges and Record $114 Million Spending: How Elon Musk’s Payments to Voters Shaped the 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
Overview
Elon Musk faces serious legal scrutiny in Wisconsin after the bipartisan Elections Commission found probable cause that he violated state election bribery laws. The Commission referred two complaints to prosecutors, focusing on Musk and his America PAC offering $100 to voters who signed or referred others to a petition against 'activist judges' just before a key election. Some voters received checks directly from Musk at a Green Bay rally, actions now under investigation for potentially breaching Wisconsin Statutes § 12.11. In response, advocacy groups filed a lawsuit, intensifying the legal and political stakes surrounding Musk’s involvement in the 2025 election.