The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Sunday unanimously dismissed a legal challenge from Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul seeking to block Elon Musk from handing out $1 million checks to voters just days before the state’s high-stakes judicial election.
In a 7-0 decision issued hours before Musk took the stage at an America PAC town hall in Green Bay, the court declined to hear Kaul’s emergency appeal, clearing the way for the billionaire and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to proceed with his controversial voter engagement campaign.
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Though the court did not immediately release a written opinion, the ruling effectively ends Kaul’s attempt to halt what he argued was a violation of state law banning gifts intended to induce voting. Lower courts had previously ruled against Kaul, stating the plaintiffs lacked standing.
At the Green Bay event, Musk handed out two oversized $1 million checks to Wisconsin voters who had signed a petition opposing “activist judges,” and used the stage to urge grassroots turnout ahead of Tuesday’s statewide judicial contest.
“What’s happening on Tuesday is a vote for which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives,” Musk told a cheering crowd. “That is why it is so significant. It affects the destiny of Western civilization.”
Musk warned that if liberal Judge Susan Crawford wins, the state’s Supreme Court could redraw congressional districts in ways that would flip House seats away from Republicans, potentially derailing efforts by President Trump’s administration to reform government spending and regulations.
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“They will gerrymander the districts and deprive Wisconsin of two seats on the Republican side,” Musk claimed. “Then they will try to stop all of the government reforms that we are doing and we’re getting done for you, the American people.”
Democrats, including AG Kaul and national party officials, have condemned Musk’s actions as a blatant attempt to “buy” influence over the judiciary and bypass state election laws.
Kaul’s lawsuit, filed Friday, cited Wisconsin Statute §12.11, which bars offering anything of value to induce voting. But the courts disagreed, and Republicans have accused Kaul of trying to silence voter engagement efforts.
Musk dismissed the criticism, describing the giveaways as a “token of appreciation” and pointing out that liberal candidate Susan Crawford has heavily relied on out-of-state donations from wealthy donors in California and New York.
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The race between former Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel and liberal Judge Susan Crawford is technically nonpartisan, but it has quickly emerged as a proxy battle over abortion, election integrity, redistricting, and Trump-era reforms.
The outcome will determine the ideological balance of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which has played a decisive role in shaping voting laws and legal battles in one of the nation’s most closely divided states.
Musk’s growing political profile as the head of DOGE — a department tasked with cutting wasteful government spending — and his backing of conservative priorities have made him a frequent target of Democratic criticism.
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Sunday’s rally marked one of Musk’s most visible interventions in a state-level election, signaling his willingness to directly engage in political and judicial battles beyond Washington.
While his tactics have raised eyebrows, Musk’s influence among conservative voters continues to grow — and the response from the courts, at least in this case, suggests his approach may be here to stay.
Election Day in Wisconsin is Tuesday, April 2.
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