MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Billionaire Elon Musk likely broke Wisconsin law when he handed out $1 million checks to voters in the 2025 state Supreme Court election, a bipartisan panel has found.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission last week 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. Prosecutors have 40 days to report back to the commission.
Musk, the founder of SpaceX and CEO of Tesla, was deeply involved in the effort to flip majority control of the highest court in battleground Wisconsin.
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.
A month after the lopsided loss, Musk announced that he would be spending far less on political campaigns. Spending on the election topped $100 million, making it the most expensive judicial race in U.S. history.
Prosecutors will decide if Musk should be charged over the $1 million checks
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.
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, the commission’s spokesperson Emilee Miklas said.
Brown County District Attorney David Lasee, a Republican, did not immediately return a message seeking comment Tuesday.
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.”
How about we arrest and charge that morherfucker?
Can't do that. It would be bad for business.
Crooks who do tyranny, specially publicly, have no reason to be allowed to continue doing business
That's the thing we're all fighting for thousands to pay rent and buy food. Some bastard who steals $1M literally gets someone killed, that's like 20 people getting laid off, 20 households that wont have money for medicine housing and food, but the rich asshole gets a slap on the wrist because he didn't do anything violent with his body. He just clicked a button and stole millions, but that's way more damaging to society and kills people in a way that a shoplifter would never be able to even if they shoplifted every single day.
Look what happened when Bear Sterns stopped doing business
I mean isn't it kinda a miracle his businesses still operate, one could argue it's actually good for business.
The fact these companies operate is because of their workers and despite their leader being the biggest dipshit around forcing stupid decisions on them.
Bad for whose business... good for other business.
Consequences in 1… 2… 2 and a half…
I have different kind of french idea, but I won't elaborate on that
Unfortunately, the ones that are supposed to do that, all work with him. I mean it's so obviously clear at this point. So many things have happened in this past little while that should have been instant arrest or investigations, or you know, just plain people getting fired or removal from offices. But it's clear, they all work together.
It always has worked for the executive branch. The difference is the executive branch used to pretend to be impartial and find the best person for the job, and leave them alone to do it. These days the corruption is expected, and even desired, by a large portion of the American population.
Exactly trump voters all have their little scams going that's why they vote for him, they're stealing too.
Are you new to this planet?
One can wish
But then who would create jobs?!
/s