I’m sipping my coffee and reading about Elon Musk’s latest escapade, and folks, it’s a doozy. Apparently, Musk handed out $1 million checks to voters in the 2025 Wisconsin state Supreme Court election, and a bipartisan panel thinks he might have broken Wisconsin law. I mean, who doesn’t love a good game of “buy me a vote”? The Wisconsin Elections Commission referred two complaints to the Brown County district attorney’s office, which can choose to bring criminal charges over violating the state law against election bribery. Because, you know, handing out stacks of cash isn’t suspicious at all.
The tech titan and groups he supported spent at least $20 million on the candidate backed by Republicans, Brad Schimel. However, he lost by 10 percentage points to Democratic-backed candidate Susan Crawford. I guess you could say Musk’s investment didn’t quite pay off. The spending on the election topped $100 million, making it the most expensive judicial race in US history. I’m no expert, but that sounds like a whole lot of cash for a court seat.
A month after the lopsided loss, Musk announced that he would be spending far less on political campaigns. I’m shocked – who wouldn’t want to throw millions of dollars at a lost cause? The complaints, which are confidential under state law, were brought by voters in Milwaukee and Green Bay, which is in Brown County. Musk handed out checks at a rally there just days before the election. Because what’s a rally without a few million dollars in cash giveaways, am I right?
The Wisconsin Elections Commission, consisting of three Democrats and three Republicans, voted 5-1 in closed session on Thursday to refer the complaints to the district attorney. Brown County District Attorney David Lasee, a Republican, did not immediately return a message seeking comment Tuesday. I’m sure he’s just busy reviewing the footage of Musk handing out checks and wondering what all the fuss is about.
The motion approved by the elections commission said it found probable cause that Musk broke Wisconsin law by making a social media post offering $1 million to people who voted in the Supreme Court election “in order to induce them to vote in that election.” Spokespeople for Musk did not immediately respond to requests for comment. I’m sure they’re just crafting a thoughtful response, like “we meant to do that” or “it was just a joke, guys.”
Three Wisconsin voters received checks from Musk, including two who got them in person at the Green Bay rally. Two weeks before the election, Musk’s political action committee, America PAC, offered $100 to voters who signed a petition in opposition to “activist judges,” or referred someone to sign it. Because who doesn’t love a good petition with a cash incentive? Crawford’s win kept liberals in control of the state Supreme Court, and their majority grew to 5-2 after Democratic-backed candidate Chris Taylor’s victory this year.
Musk’s spending on the 2025 race has already resulted in one lawsuit filed by a government watchdog group, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, which seeks to prohibit him from ever again offering cash payments in the state. That lawsuit is pending in Brown County. It alleges that Musk and two groups he funds violated prohibitions on vote bribery and unauthorized lotteries and that his actions were an unlawful conspiracy and public nuisance. I’m no lawyer, but that sounds like a whole lot of trouble.
Wisconsin’s Democratic attorney general sued to stop Musk from handing over the checks to two voters, but was rejected by state courts. Musk’s attorneys argued in legal filings in 2025 that Musk was exercising his free speech rights with the giveaways and any attempt to restrict that would violate both the Wisconsin and US constitutions. Because, you know, handing out stacks of cash is clearly a form of free speech.
The payments are “intended to generate a grassroots movement in opposition to activist judges, not to expressly advocate for or against any candidate,” Musk’s attorneys argued in court filings. I’m sure that’s exactly what it was – a grassroots movement, not a blatant attempt to buy votes. Musk’s political action committee used a nearly identical tactic before the 2024 presidential election, offering to pay $1 million a day to voters in Wisconsin and six other battleground states who signed a petition supporting the First and Second amendments. A judge in Pennsylvania said prosecutors failed to show the effort was an illegal lottery and allowed it to continue through Election Day.
In conclusion, it seems like Elon Musk might be in a bit of hot water over his cash giveaways in Wisconsin. But hey, at least he tried, right? I mean, who needs subtlety when you can just hand out stacks of cash and hope for the best? It’s not like that’s ever backfired before. As I finish my coffee, I’m left wondering what’s next for Musk and his political adventures – will he try to buy his way to the top, or will he finally learn that you can’t put a price on democracy? Only time will tell, folks. 🙄
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
