On Friday, billionaire Elon Musk revealed why he visited Wisconsin two days ago Hot-fighted Supreme Court election After deleting the social media post, he says he plans to “personally hand over” $2 million to voters who have already voted in the race.
Musk later posted an explanation, saying the money would go to those who become “spokesmen” for an online petition against an “activist” judge. First, after saying the event is open only to those who voted in the Supreme Court race, he said attendance will be limited to those who signed the petition.
The change in direction came as he was asked to investigate whether Musk’s behavior was a felony under Wisconsin law. This prohibits giving something of value in exchange for a vote.
Musk deleted the post from social media platform X about 12 hours after his first post late Thursday night. He issued an explanation about an hour later.
He posted that he planned to give two voters $1 million each at an event on Sunday, just two days before the election. It determines the ideological control of the court The state of the battlefield.
“I personally would appreciate it taking the time to hand over two checks for $1 million and vote,” said Musk’s now-deleted post. “This is very important.”
There is a competition in the Supreme Court Shattered previous spending records for US judicial elections And it became a referendum on Musk in the first few months of President Donald Trump’s administration.
Republican Trump approved Brad Schimmel and hosted a telephone town hall with him on Thursday night.
“This is a very important race,” Trump said in a simple statement over the phone on the phone hosted by the Schimel campaign. “I know you feel it’s local, but it’s not. It’s really much more than it’s local. The whole country is watching.”
Waukesha County judge Simel will face Dane County Judge Susan Crawford in Tuesday’s election. Crawford has a 4-3 majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court and is supported by a wide range of Democrats, including former President Barack Obama. With this year’s liberal justice retirement, there is a majority control of the court.
Musk’s Political Action Committee said on Friday it signed the petition to Green Bay mechanical engineer Scott Ainsworth in protest against the “activist” judge. In a video posted to X, Ainsworth encouraged people to sign the petition and “go out and vote for Brad Schimel early.”
“If everyone in the Magazine Movement appears and votes for Brad Simel, we win,” Ainsworth said in the video.
Ainsworth donated $350 to Schimel’s campaign this year, Campaign Finance Records shows.
Musk’s Political Action Committee spokesman Andrew Romeo declined to say whether Iinsworth is one of two people receiving $1 million on Sunday.
Musk has pledged $100 to registered Wisconsin voters Who signed the petition and forwarded it to the person who did it.
It raised questions about whether the petition would be a felony that violates Wisconsin law and promises to provide, give, lend or give something worthwhile to encourage voters to vote or not.
Legal challenges to mask payments could end in the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
The government’s Watchdog Group and a bipartisan coalition of former office holders, together with the liberal Madison law firm, has asked the Wisconsin Attorney General and the Milwaukee County District Attorney to investigate a $1 million payment and $100 offer to sign the petition.
The group said in a letter sent Thursday night that the payments appeared to violate state laws against election bribery.
Attorney General Josh Cowl and Milwaukee County District Attorney Kent Robern did not immediately reply to a message seeking comment Friday.
Former Attorney General Shimel was asked about the petition by WISN-TV on Thursday.
“Frankly, I thought, ‘Should I sign that petition? I’m against the activist judge, but I don’t think I should do that,” Shimmel said.
When asked about the $1 million award, Simel said, “I don’t know what the standard is for getting it.”
Derrick Honeyman, a spokesman for Crawford’s campaign, called Musk’s announcement of his visit to Wisconsin “a last minute distraction.”
“Wisconsinians don’t want to tell who a billionaire like Musk will vote for. On Tuesday, voters should reject mask lucky bloodshimmels,” he said.
Musk’s Political Action Committee used roughly the same tactics before the White House election last year, offering to pay voters in Wisconsin and six other battlefield states $1 million a day Those who signed petitions supporting the first and second amendments.
In last year’s presidential election, the Philadelphia district attorney sued to stop payments under Pennsylvania law. However, the judge said the prosecutors failed to show that the effort was an illegal lottery and allowed it to continue until Election Day.
Musk and his funds have already spent more than $20 million to elect Simel, but billionaire George Soros has given them $2 million to bolster Crawford.
Musk entered the race days after electric vehicle company Tesla filed a lawsuit against Wisconsin to open a dealership in the state.
Crawford and her allies accused Musk of trying to buy influence in court given that Tesla’s case could end before justice.
The race comes as it is expected to control the Wisconsin Supreme Court as well Abortion rightsCongressional district changes, union power, and voting rules that could affect mid-term and 2026 presidential elections.
Wisconsin is one of a handful of true battlefield states as it only strengthens its focus on court races where voting rules are determined. Trump won Wisconsin for less than percentage points in 2016 and 2024, but lost it in 2020 with a similar margin. Five of the state’s past seven presidential elections have been decided with less than one percentage point.
More than $81 million has so far been spent on Supreme Court competition, wiping records of $51 million judicial races in Wisconsin, USA, according to a tally by the Brennan Center.
