Musk Causes Controversy With His $1 Million Check Gift Before the Wisconsin Supreme Court Election

Following the Supreme Court of Wisconsin’s decision to dismiss a challenge to his contentious donation, Elon Musk distributed $1 million checks to voters.

Wisconsin voters received $1 million (£770,000) checks from billionaire Elon Musk after the state Supreme Court refused to stop the distribution. The action was taken in advance of Tuesday’s hotly contested Supreme Court election, which has the potential to tip the court’s power balance in favor of Republicans.

In an attempt to halt Musk’s giveaway, Democratic Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul filed a lawsuit, claiming it was illegal to distribute goods in return for votes. The payments were, however, argued by Musk’s legal team to be First Amendment-protected political speech.

Musk justified his actions by saying, “We just want judges to be judges,” during a rally on Sunday. He gave two $1 million checks to voters who signed a petition against judges he described as “activists.”

Lower courts dismissed Kaul’s legal challenge, and the state Supreme Court declined to consider the case, paving the way for Musk’s contentious reimbursements. In the race, the billionaire and President Donald Trump have backed conservative contender Judge Brad Schimel. The leftist justices of the court support Judge Susan Crawford, who Schimel is challenging.

Musk has given $14 million to Schimel’s campaign, which is viewed as a referendum on Trump’s presidency and controversial topics like abortion rights and congressional redistricting. Spending records have been broken by the judicial race, with almost $81 million spent overall.

In an effort to disassociate himself from Musk’s outspoken backing, Judge Schimel told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he was not aware of the rally or Musk’s intentions.

Musk’s attempts at political freebies are not new. In Wisconsin and six other battleground states, he started a similar campaign last year, giving $1 million per day to people who signed petitions in favor of the First and Second Amendments. The attempt was later declared legitimate by a Pennsylvania judge who found no proof of an illegal lottery.

As Wisconsin voters cast their ballots, Musk’s activities are igniting the controversy about the role of billionaires in judicial elections and the impact of money in politics.