Wisconsin’s Attorney General Josh Kaul has asked the state’s Supreme Court to intervene and stop Elon Musk from distributing $1 million checks to two voters just hours before a pivotal rally planned by the billionaire, the Associated Press reported. The legal request was made on Sunday, the day before Musk’s rally in Green Bay, where he had promised to give away the large sums in exchange for voters signing an online petition against “activist” judges.
According to the report, Kaul said Musk’s actions violate Wisconsin’s laws against offering anything of value to influence a vote. “Wisconsin law prohibits offering anything of value to induce anyone to vote. Yet, Elon Musk did just that”, Kaul reportedly said in his court filing.
The legal challenge comes as Wisconsin’s high-stakes Supreme Court election looms, with liberals currently holding a 4-3 majority. The election, set for Tuesday, has drawn national attention, with more than $81 million spent in total — making it one of the most expensive judicial elections in US history, the report stated.
Musk’s involvement in the race has been controversial, with the Tesla CEO promising to hand over two $1 million checks to individuals who sign a petition opposing what he calls “activist judges.” Musk has backed Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel, the Republican-aligned candidate who has received significant support from both him and President Donald Trump.
Earlier, two lower courts dismissed Kaul’s request to halt the giveaway.
On Friday, Musk had announced plans to personally hand out $2 million to two voters in Wisconsin, but later clarified that the funds would go to people who would act as spokespeople for an online petition, not necessarily those who had already voted. He further said that only petition signers would be eligible to attend the rally, shifting the event’s parameters.
In an interview on “Fox News Sunday,” Schimel, who has drawn comparisons to Trump with his own political rhetoric, denied any direct control over the spending from Musk’s political action committee (PAC). “That’s exactly what I’ve committed to anybody, whether it’s President Trump, Elon Musk or any donors and donors or supporters or voters in Wisconsin. That’s my commitment,” Schimel told Fox News Sunday.
The event in Green Bay, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST, has become a focal point in the battle over Wisconsin’s judicial future. Schimel, who has received support from Trump and Musk, has yet to confirm whether he will attend the rally.
Musk’s political activities in Wisconsin are not his first attempts to influence election outcomes. In 2024, Musk’s PAC used a similar strategy in Wisconsin and other battleground states, offering up to $1 million a day for those who signed petitions supporting the First and Second Amendments. Although a judge allowed this strategy to proceed in Pennsylvania during the presidential election, its legality remained a point of contention in Wisconsin.
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