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Wisconsin Attorney General Asks State Supreme Court to Halt Musk’s $1 Million Payments


On Sunday, an urgent filing was submitted in response to the upcoming heated election for the Wisconsin Supreme Court set for April 1.

Wisconsin’s attorney general filed an emergency petition on May 30 with the state Supreme Court, aiming to stop White House adviser and tech mogul Elon Musk from distributing $1 million payments to two randomly selected Wisconsinites who signed an online petition opposing “activist judges.”

Two subordinate courts in the state have previously dismissed challenges from Attorney General Josh Kaul, who contended that Musk’s proposal contravenes Wisconsin statutes prohibiting monetary or other valuable inducements in exchange for votes.

“The Wisconsin Department of Justice is dedicated to maintaining the safety, security, fairness, and integrity of elections in Wisconsin,” Kaul stated in a recent announcement. “Based on our interpretation of applicable Wisconsin law, we have pursued legal measures to seek a court order to prevent this from occurring.”
In his petition submitted to the Wisconsin high court this Sunday, Kaul asserted that the timing of Musk’s offer necessitates “immediate injunctive relief to halt the respondents’ ongoing illegal activities.”

Last week, Kaul initiated a lawsuit to prohibit Musk and his America PAC from providing million-dollar payments to two voters selected at random within a state circuit court, but a judge dismissed the case on March 28. Subsequently, Kaul appealed to the state’s appellate division, which also rejected the appeal, leading to the current petition to the Supreme Court.

“As of the time of this filing, neither Musk nor America PAC has disclosed that their plan to award $1 million to two Wisconsin electors on Sunday, March 30, 2025, has been called off,” the legal document stated.

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul speaks at an event in Milwaukee, Wis., on Oct. 27, 2022. (Morry Gash, File/AP Photo)

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul speaks at an event in Milwaukee, Wis., on Oct. 27, 2022. Morry Gash, File/AP Photo

Wisconsin is preparing for an election to fill an open seat on the state Supreme Court on April 1. Five of the seven justices currently serving have endorsed a candidate in this race, leading to potential conflicts if they are to adjudicate the Musk case.

Candidates Susan Crawford and Brad Schimel are competing for a 10-year term on the Wisconsin Supreme Court following Justice Ann Walsh Bradley’s retirement announcement. Musk and former President Donald Trump have both endorsed Schimel.

“If you know anyone in Wisconsin, reach out and encourage them to vote early for Justice Schimel,” Musk remarked at an event shared on the social media platform X earlier this month.

Additionally, Trump declared his support for Schimel on Truth Social, warning that if Crawford emerges victorious, “the Movement to restore our Nation will skip over Wisconsin.”

At the rally scheduled in Green Bay for 7:30 p.m. ET Sunday, Musk had promised to deliver two checks for $1 million each.

Musk and PACs associated with him have invested over $14 million to aid Schimel’s election campaign, part of a total expenditure exceeding $81 million on both sides.

On Friday, Musk initially announced via social media that he intended to “personally hand over” $2 million to two voters who had already participated in the election.

However, Musk later clarified that the money was intended for individuals who would serve as spokespersons for an online petition opposing “activist judges.” After initially stating that attendance would be restricted to those who voted in the Supreme Court race, he altered the access criteria to include only those who signed the petition.

“On Sunday evening, I will speak in Wisconsin. To clarify a previous post, entry is restricted to those who signed the petition against activist judges. I will also present checks of $1 million each to two individuals selected as spokespersons for the petition,” he stated in a post on X dated March 28.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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