MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin’s Attorney General has urged the state Supreme Court to intervene and halt Elon Musk’s planned giveaway of $1 million checks to two voters, just hours before a rally featuring a prominent ally of former President Donald Trump.
An appeals court recently dismissed the challenge made by Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul, who contends that Musk’s offer breaches state law prohibiting any exchange of value for votes.
The upcoming Supreme Court election in Wisconsin, which could determine the ideological balance of the court, will take place on Tuesday. The current liberal majority stands at 4-3.
During Musk’s rally in Green Bay at 7:30 p.m. EST, he intends to distribute two $1 million checks to individuals who support an online petition opposing ‘activist’ judges.
Musk and Trump are backing the campaign of Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel, while Democrats have rallied behind Dane County Judge Susan Crawford. Together, Trump and his associated groups have invested over $20 million to promote Schimel’s candidacy.
Crawford’s campaign has opted not to comment on the current legal appeal.
The deciding justices include a liberal incumbent who is retiring this year, setting the stage for a crucial race impacting control of the court. This election cycle has already shattered spending records for judicial races, surpassing $81 million.
Previously, Musk’s political action committee implemented a similar strategy prior to last year’s presidential election, offering $1 million daily to voters in Wisconsin and several key battleground states for signing a petition advocating First and Second Amendment rights. A Pennsylvania judge concluded that the claim did not constitute an illegal lottery, allowing the effort to proceed until Election Day.
The appeals court stated that the attorney general inadequately presented a legal argument necessary for blocking Musk’s actions, noting a lack of specifics regarding the Columbia County Circuit Court’s refusal to hear his case. Details about the court’s action, which occurred after business hours on Friday, have not been documented or provided to the media.
The appeals court remarked, “We are not allowed to be the initial court to determine whether the respondents are engaged in the alleged conduct or to assess the legality of that conduct.”
Initially, Musk indicated in a post that he would “personally hand over” $2 million to two voters who had already participated in the election.
He later clarified that the funds would be for individuals willing to act as “spokesmen” for the petition against activist judges, and that attendance to the rally would only include petition signers.
Additionally, Musk’s political action committee has identified the first recipient of its $1 million giveaway—a Green Bay resident who has contributed to the Wisconsin GOP and supports the conservative candidate in the judicial race.
This judicial election is critical as the court is anticipated to rule on pivotal issues such as abortion rights, congressional redistricting, union power, and voting regulations that could significantly influence the upcoming 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential election in Wisconsin.
