Musk PAC Offers $100 to Voters Ahead of Wisconsin Supreme Court Election

U.S. | Rights & Freedoms

11 hours ago

Originally posted by: The Epoch Times

Billionaire and White House adviser Elon Musk is leveraging his financial resources in a high-stakes Wisconsin Supreme Court election, offering registered voters $100 to sign a petition opposing “activist judges.”

Musk’s America PAC on Friday said it is running the giveaway through April 1, when voters will determine whether Wisconsin’s highest court maintains its 4–3 liberal majority or flips back to a conservative majority that was in place for more than a decade until two years ago.

The two candidates competing for the 10-year seat on the bench are Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel, a Republican; and Dane County Judge Susan Crawford, a Democrat. Wisconsin’s campaign finance information system suggests that, as of Thursday, the America PAC has spent over $7 million in support of Schimel’s campaign.

On its website, the PAC says those who refer others to sign the petition will receive an additional $100 on top of the $100 for their own signature.

“Judges should interpret laws as written, not rewrite them to fit their personal or political agendas,” the petition reads. “By signing below, I’m rejecting the actions of activist judges who impose their own views and demanding a judiciary that respects its role—interpreting, not legislating.”

Those who receive the money are not obligated to vote as Musk encourages, and voter privacy laws ensure that no one can track their choices at the ballot box.

Democrats, backed by national donors including billionaires George Soros and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, have launched a counteroffensive against Musk’s growing political expenditure. Earlier this month, they unveiled what the state Democratic Party described as a “seven-figure” campaign called “The People v. Musk,” featuring digital ads, town halls, and other outreach efforts.

Meanwhile, Musk is facing legal roadblocks as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a team tasked with cutting government waste and slashing federal regulations. In recent weeks, judges have denied DOGE’s access to federal agency databases in search of spending items and staff members that could be cut, in addition to blocking its effort to shut down the $40 billion U.S. Agency for International Development.

Musk’s company Tesla also has a stake in Wisconsin’s supreme court election. In January, the electric carmaker sued Wisconsin after being told it did not qualify for an exemption to a state law prohibiting manufacturers from owning dealerships. The case could ultimately be decided by Wisconsin’s highest court.

In response to Musk’s latest special offer, the Crawford campaign accused him of “trying to buy votes because he wants Schimel to rule in favor of his company’s lawsuit,” the campaign said in a statement on X.

Musk’s PAC has used similar incentives before. During last year’s presidential election, it held a giveaway, awarding $1 million every day to a selected voter in one of seven swing states who signed a petition pledging support for the First and Second Amendments. Pennsylvania voters were also offered $100 for signing.