technology
Wisconsin Elections Commission Finds Probable Cause Musk Violated Bribery Law
The commission referred two complaints to the Brown County district attorney after determining Elon Musk likely broke state law by offering $1 million checks to voters. Prosecutors have 40 days to report back on whether charges should be filed.
Jul 15, 9:12 AM·1m read1 source
gizmodo.comAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission found probable cause that Elon Musk violated Wisconsin law against election bribery when he promised to hand out $1 million checks to voters in the 2025 state Supreme Court election, Fortune reported. The commission referred two complaints to the Brown County district attorney’s office last week. Prosecutors have 40 days to report back.
The commission voted 5-1 in closed session on Thursday to refer the complaints, which were filed by voters in Milwaukee and Green Bay, commission spokesperson Emilee Miklas said. ” Brown County District Attorney David Lasee, a Republican, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Three Wisconsin voters received the $1 million checks, including two who obtained them in person at a Green Bay rally Musk held just days before the election.
Musk spent at least $20 million supporting Republican-backed candidate Brad Schimel, who lost the race by 10 percentage points to Democratic-backed candidate Susan Crawford. Total spending on the contest topped $100 million. The commission consists of three Democrats and three Republicans.
Two weeks before the election, Musk’s political action committee America PAC offered $100 to voters who signed a petition in opposition to “activist judges” or referred someone to sign it. America PAC used a nearly identical tactic before the 2024 presidential election.
Wisconsin’s Democratic attorney general sued to stop Musk from handing over the checks to two voters but was rejected by state courts.
The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign filed a lawsuit against Musk seeking to prohibit him from offering cash payments in the state again. That case remains pending in Brown County.
