Elon Musk likely broke the law by promising voters $1 million payouts, Wisconsin board says
apnews.com
The bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission has found probable cause that billionaire Elon Musk broke state law when he promised to hand out $1 million checks to voters in the 2025 state Supreme Court election.

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.”

      • Solrac@lemmy.world
        19·
        6 days ago

        Crooks who do tyranny, specially publicly, have no reason to be allowed to continue doing business

        • Bluescluestoothpaste@sh.itjust.works
          2·
          4 days ago

          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.

      • MML@sh.itjust.works
        10·
        6 days ago

        I mean isn’t it kinda a miracle his businesses still operate, one could argue it’s actually good for business.

        • YoureHotCupCake@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
          5·
          6 days ago

          The fact these companies operate is because of their workers and despite their leader being the biggest dipshit around forcing stupid decisions on them.

    • BarnWolf@lemmy.world
      8·
      6 days ago

      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.

      I guess you could say, the justice system overwhelmingly (not everyone but most) works for the executive branch now. It bows down like a little bitch and licks the executive branch boots.

      • artyom@piefed.socialEnglish
        13·
        6 days ago

        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.