A group of appeals court judges denied Wisconsin Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul’s petition to immediately step in and block billionaire Elon Musk from giving $2 million to two Wisconsin voters ahead of the critical Wisconsin Supreme Court race Tuesday. Musk, the billionaire who is backing conservative candidate Brad Schimel, has a planned town hall Sunday night in Green Bay.Schimel is running against liberal candidate Susan Crawford. Musk initially announced Thursday on social media that he would “personally hand over two checks for a million dollars each” to voters who participated in the Supreme Court election.His political action committee had already awarded $1 million to Scott Ainsworth, a mechanical engineer from Green Bay, for signing its petition.Musk deleted the post Friday and later clarified that the money would go to people who would serve as “spokesmen” for an online petition against “activist judges.”Wisconsin law makes it a felony to offer anything of value to induce a voter to cast a ballot or refrain from voting. Violators can face fines up to $10,000, imprisonment up to three-and-a-half years, or both.Kaul initially filed a lawsuit Friday afternoon seeking to block Musk from distributing those million-dollar payments.”The Wisconsin Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that elections in Wisconsin are safe, secure, free and fair,” Kaul said in a statement on Friday. “Based on our understanding of applicable Wisconsin law, we have taken legal action to seek a court order to stop this from happening.”Late Friday night, the judge assigned to the case, the Honorable Columbia County Circuit Court Judge W. Andrew Voigt, refused to hear the lawsuit before Sunday’s Green Bay rally with Musk, so Kaul filed an emergency motion asking a Court of Appeals to take action.Kaul can still appeal to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Musk and President Donald Trump are backing conservative Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel in the state’s Supreme Court election.Schimel told WISN 12 News on Friday that he has “no plans” to attend Sunday’s rally with Musk.Democrats are backing liberal Dane County Judge Susan Crawford.Crawford was randomly assigned to hear the lawsuit. Friday, she recused herself in the matter, and the case was reassigned to Voight.The Supreme Court race has already broken spending records for a judicial contest in U.S. history, with funds raised exceeding $81 million. Musk has been the largest financial contributor, though billionaire George Soros and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker have donated a combined $3.5 million to Crawford’s campaign.The outcome of Tuesday’s election will determine ideological control of Wisconsin’s Supreme Court, which could have significant implications for issues ranging from abortion rights to redistricting in this key battleground state.WISN 12 News hosted the only debate between Schimel and Crawford. You can watch the entire debate here.
A group of appeals court judges denied Wisconsin Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul’s petition to immediately step in and block billionaire Elon Musk from giving $2 million to two Wisconsin voters ahead of the critical Wisconsin Supreme Court race Tuesday.
Musk, the billionaire who is backing conservative candidate Brad Schimel, has a planned town hall Sunday night in Green Bay.
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You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Schimel is running against liberal candidate Susan Crawford.
Musk initially announced Thursday on social media that he would “personally hand over two checks for a million dollars each” to voters who participated in the Supreme Court election.
His political action committee had already awarded $1 million to Scott Ainsworth, a mechanical engineer from Green Bay, for signing its petition.
Musk deleted the post Friday and later clarified that the money would go to people who would serve as “spokesmen” for an online petition against “activist judges.”
Wisconsin law makes it a felony to offer anything of value to induce a voter to cast a ballot or refrain from voting. Violators can face fines up to $10,000, imprisonment up to three-and-a-half years, or both.
Kaul initially filed a lawsuit Friday afternoon seeking to block Musk from distributing those million-dollar payments.
“The Wisconsin Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that elections in Wisconsin are safe, secure, free and fair,” Kaul said in a statement on Friday. “Based on our understanding of applicable Wisconsin law, we have taken legal action to seek a court order to stop this from happening.”
Late Friday night, the judge assigned to the case, the Honorable Columbia County Circuit Court Judge W. Andrew Voigt, refused to hear the lawsuit before Sunday’s Green Bay rally with Musk, so Kaul filed an emergency motion asking a Court of Appeals to take action.
Kaul can still appeal to the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Musk and President Donald Trump are backing conservative Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel in the state’s Supreme Court election.
Schimel told WISN 12 News on Friday that he has “no plans” to attend Sunday’s rally with Musk.
Democrats are backing liberal Dane County Judge Susan Crawford.
Crawford was randomly assigned to hear the lawsuit. Friday, she recused herself in the matter, and the case was reassigned to Voight.
The Supreme Court race has already broken spending records for a judicial contest in U.S. history, with funds raised exceeding $81 million. Musk has been the largest financial contributor, though billionaire George Soros and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker have donated a combined $3.5 million to Crawford’s campaign.
The outcome of Tuesday’s election will determine ideological control of Wisconsin’s Supreme Court, which could have significant implications for issues ranging from abortion rights to redistricting in this key battleground state.
WISN 12 News hosted the only debate between Schimel and Crawford. You can watch the entire debate here.
