Wisconsin Elections Commission Finds Elon Musk Likely Broke State Law With $1 Million Checks Given to Voters

The Wisconsin Elections Commission found probable cause that Elon Musk violated state election bribery law after distributing $1 million checks to voters during the 2025 Supreme Court election. The bipartisan commission voted 5-1 to refer two voter complaints to the Brown County District Attorney, David Lasee, who must decide whether to pursue charges. The legal complaint centers on the payments made by Musk’s political action committee. At the time, Musk and his supporters spent millions backing conservative candidate Brad Schimel, though Schimel lost to Democrat Susan Crawford. The statute prohibits offering "anything of value" to persuade a person to vote. The Wisconsin Elections Commission’s ruling follows scrutiny of the cash giveaways. Earlier in the year, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul sued to stop the payments, but state courts rejected the attempt. The investigation into Musk’s alleged violation continues with the Brown County District Attorney’s office having 40 days to review the findings.

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