Elon Musk's recent attempt to give away $1 million to voters who signed his petition opposing "activist judges" in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election has been met with legal resistance. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul sought an emergency injunction to block the Tesla CEO's payout scheme, arguing that it violated state election laws. However, the Wisconsin Supreme Court unanimously decided not to hear the case.
Musk's proposed giveaway was scheduled to take place at an America PAC town hall in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The event was to feature Musk handing over $1 million checks to two voters. The recipients had already voted in the election.
Musk's justification for the checks was to garner attention for his cause. He stated,
"The reason for the checks is that, it's really just to get attention....somewhat inevitably, when I do this...it causes the legacy media to, like, kind of lose their minds."
Musk's involvement in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election comes at a time when the political leaning of the court is in question. This election has garnered national attention and has become the most expensive judicial election in U.S. history, with more than $81 million invested in the race.
Attorney General Josh Kaul argued that Musk's giveaway breaches Wisconsin Statute § 12.11, which prohibits offering "anything of value" in exchange for voting or refraining from voting. Kaul stated,
"Wisconsin law prohibits offering anything of value to induce anyone to vote. Yet, Elon Musk did just that."
Musk's attorneys countered these claims, asserting that the payments were designed to generate a grassroots movement against activist judges, rather than to advocate for or against any candidate.
Brad Schimel, a Republican former state attorney general and a candidate for the Supreme Court seat, has distanced himself from Musk's actions, stating that he does not have control over the spending of any outside group, including Musk.
This case comes amid Musk's increased political involvement, which became more pronounced after Tesla sued Wisconsin over a state law that prevents auto manufacturers from selling directly to consumers. This lawsuit could potentially end up before the very court that is currently in the midst of a pivotal election.
Despite the controversy, Musk remained undeterred, stating in a response to the injunction request,
"I will also hand over checks for a million dollars to 2 people to be spokesmen for the petition."
As the dust settles around this unique incident, it remains to be seen what impact, if any, it will have on the political landscape of Wisconsin.