Elon Musk likely broke the law by giving voters $1 million, Wisconsin board says

Key Points:

• A bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission panel found probable cause that Elon Musk violated state election bribery laws by handing out $1 million checks to voters in the 2025 state Supreme Court election, referring complaints to the Brown County district attorney for possible criminal charges.
• Musk and affiliated groups spent at least $20 million supporting Republican-backed candidate Brad Schimel, who lost to Democrat Susan Crawford, in what became the most expensive judicial race in U.S. history, exceeding $100 million in total spending.
• Musk gave $1 million checks to three Wisconsin voters, including two at a Green Bay rally shortly before the election, and his political action committee also offered $100 incentives for petition signers opposing "activist judges."
• The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign filed a lawsuit seeking to bar Musk from future cash payments in the state, alleging violations of vote bribery laws and unauthorized lotteries; meanwhile, Musk's legal team argues the payments are protected free speech and intended to mobilize grassroots opposition to activist judges.
• Attempts by Wisconsin's Democratic attorney general to stop Musk's giveaways were rejected by courts, and a similar tactic by Musk's PAC before the 2024 presidential election was allowed to continue after a Pennsylvania judge ruled prosecutors failed to prove it was an illegal lottery.