Elon Musk gives away $1M checks at Wisconsin town hall
Elon Musk in WI ahead of Supreme Court Election
Elon Musk visited Green Bay, Wisconsin and gave out to $1 million checks out to voters ahead of the Wisconsin Supreme Court election. FOX 9's Soyoung Kim has the latest.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (FOX 9) - The race for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court is heating up in its final days.
Tech billionaire and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Elon Musk was in the Badger State Sunday evening. He spoke at a town hall and gave away two big checks. Musk has come under fire for his giveaways to the public during this election.
Elon Musk giveaway
The backstory:
On Sunday evening, the state’s highest court declined to hear the legal challenge raised by Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul to stop Musk from making these payments. Kaul argued it violated state law that "prohibits offering anything of value to induce anyone to vote."
Two lower courts had already rejected Kaul’s legal challenge as well.
Musk clarified since announcing the giveaways that the money would go to people to be a spokesperson for a petition against "activist" judges, not explicitly for voters for a certain candidate.
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Supreme Court race
What we know:
The spring election is between conservative county Judge Brad Schimel and liberal county Judge Susan Crawford. Musk and President Donald Trump have publicly supported Schimel, while the court’s four liberal justices have endorsed Crawford.
Why it matters:
This is officially a nonpartisan race, but the implications are anything but that because the liberal majority on the pivotal battleground state’s highest bench is at stake.
Currently, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has a liberal majority 4 to 3. Liberal Justice Ann Walsh Bradley had announced she will not be seeking re-election. Justice Bradley’s tenure will end on July 31.
This judicial race is already shattering campaign spending records.
This election comes as the state’s highest court is expected to rule on abortion rights, congressional redistricting, and voting rules.
Election Day is Tuesday.
The Source: Wisconsin Elections Commission, Wisconsin Attorney General, Town Hall, Associated Press.