Mon Mar 31 04:20:00 UTC 2025: **Elon Musk Donates $2 Million to Influence Wisconsin Supreme Court Election**
GREEN BAY, WI – Billionaire Elon Musk injected millions of dollars into Wisconsin’s Supreme Court election, handing out $1 million checks to two voters he declared spokespeople for his political group. The move, part of a more than $20 million campaign to support conservative candidate Brad Schimel, sparked controversy and legal challenges.
Musk, wearing a cheesehead, addressed a crowd of roughly 2,000, framing the election as crucial to President Trump’s agenda and “the future of civilization.” He argued the court’s decisions on redistricting could significantly impact the balance of power in the U.S. House and thwart government reforms.
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, a Democrat, filed a lawsuit alleging Musk’s actions violated state law prohibiting offering inducements to vote. However, the state Supreme Court, currently with a 4-3 liberal majority, refused to hear the case before Musk’s rally.
Musk’s legal team argued the donations constituted free speech, a claim echoed by a Pennsylvania judge in a similar case last year. The donations were described as intended to generate grassroots support against “activist judges,” not to directly advocate for any candidate. The court’s decision not to intervene came minutes before Musk’s event, with two liberal justices refusing recusal requests despite campaigning for the opposing candidate, Susan Crawford.
The election, with over $81 million in spending, is fiercely contested, with implications for abortion rights, redistricting, union power, and voting rules impacting future elections. Schimel, endorsed by a conservative justice, maintained he does not control outside spending, emphasizing his commitment to upholding the law. The outcome will reshape the ideological balance of the court and influence key decisions in the battleground state.
First Piper 