The Wisconsin Elections Commission, which includes three Republicans and three Democrats, has determined that billionaire Elon Musk might have violated the state’s election bribery laws. This conclusion is based on Musk’s practice of offering $1 million checks to voters during a Wisconsin Supreme Court election. His political action committee, America’s PAC, spent significantly in this election. The commission voted 5-1 to send two complaints filed by voters against Musk to the Brown County District Attorney’s office, according to Emilee Miklas, the commission’s Communications Director.
A motion passed by the commission indicates probable cause that Musk may have breached a state law that prohibits offering anything of value to influence voting. The decision now rests on whether Brown County District Attorney David Lasee, who oversees the region including Green Bay, will pursue charges. CBS News is seeking comments from both Lasee and Musk.
The legal complaints center around Musk’s contentious method of giving cash rewards to specific voters who signed petitions for his political group. This practice began with Musk’s support of President Trump’s campaign in 2024 and continued during the Wisconsin judicial election in April 2025. In early 2025, America’s PAC gave $1 million checks to three voters who signed petitions against what they termed ‘activist judges’. Despite Musk’s significant financial backing, GOP-endorsed Judge Brad Schimel lost the state Supreme Court seat to Democratic-endorsed Judge Susan Crawford.
During this period, Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, a Democrat, filed a lawsuit to halt Musk from disbursing payments, alleging it was a violation of state laws by financially motivating voters. Musk’s lawyers countered, claiming his actions were protected under free speech rights. The state’s highest court chose not to address the matter, and Musk continued, handing out large symbolic checks at a rally days before the election. Nicholas Jacobs received a $1 million check from Musk during a town hall in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on March 30, 2025.
Following the election, an advocacy group filed a lawsuit against Musk and America’s PAC in state court, arguing that the monetary giveaways breached the state’s election bribery law and were equivalent to an unauthorized lottery. Musk’s legal representatives have motioned for the case’s dismissal, though it is still pending.
Musk also faced scrutiny for similar giveaway strategies in various swing states during the 2024 presidential race. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Democrat, initiated legal proceedings against Musk for offering daily $1 million checks to voters in Pennsylvania, claiming they violated electoral and lottery laws. Nevertheless, Musk’s legal team argued this approach was protected as ‘core political speech’, and a judge allowed the payouts to proceed.
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