Full Breakdown
Elon Musk Avoids Election Bribery Charges in Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
8/26/2026, 12:58:01 AM
Core Event: Decision Not to Pursue Criminal Charges
La Crosse County District Attorney Tim Gruenke announced that he will not file election-bribery charges against technology billionaire Elon Musk for his $1 million giveaway during the 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court election. At a town-hall event on March 30, 2025, Musk handed oversized checks to two attendees.
Background & Context
The 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court race pitted Republican-backed Brad Schimel against Democratic-supported Susan Crawford. Musk, the founder of SpaceX and CEO of Tesla, invested heavily in the contest, spending at least $20 million through his America PAC and related groups. Total spending on the race topped $100 million, making it the most expensive judicial election in U.S. history.
In July 2025, the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission voted 5-1 to refer two complaints about Musk’s posts to the Brown County District Attorney’s Office, finding probable cause that the giveaways violated state election-bribery law. Because Brown County DA David Lasee had a conflict of interest, the case was transferred to Gruenke, a Democrat, who served as special prosecutor. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul sued Musk to block the checks, but the state Supreme Court declined to intervene.
Data & Statistics
- Two $1 million checks handed to Nicholas Jacobs and Ekaterina Diestler at the March 30 rally.
- $20 million spent by Musk-aligned groups supporting Schimel.
- $100 million total expenditure on the Supreme Court race.
- 5-1 vote by the Wisconsin Elections Commission to refer the case for possible criminal charges.
Official Statements & Responses
Gruenke wrote that the first post could be interpreted either as a lottery-style incentive or as free entry to a town hall, while the second post “corrected” the ambiguity.
Attorney General Kaul’s office continued to pursue civil remedies, and Musk’s legal team declined to comment on the criminal decision.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Either way the first post is perceived, in the end nobody was paid anything of value for voting or promising to vote,” — Tim Gruenke, county district attorney
- “Under either view, the second post apparently recognized that potential violation and corrected it,” — Tim Gruenke, county district attorney
- “I am angry and deeply frustrated,” — State Reps. Amaad Rivera-Wagner
- “The bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission voted 5-1 that there was probable cause to believe Elon Musk violated Wisconsin's election bribery law. Yet the world's richest man once again escapes accountability.” — Lee Snodgrass
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
While the Elections Commission and several Democratic lawmakers assert that Musk’s actions likely violated state bribery law, Gruenke’s legal analysis finds the evidence insufficient for a criminal conviction. No definitive judicial ruling on the underlying legal question has been issued, leaving the matter unresolved in civil court.
What’s Next
The civil lawsuit filed by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign remains active, and Democratic legislators plan to reintroduce a bill tightening the state’s election-bribery provisions in the next legislative session.
