Wisconsin Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul is now appealing directly to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, asking the court to block billionaire Elon Musk from making any payments at a planned event Sunday night in Green Bay.The new filing early Sunday comes less than one day after a group of appeals court judges denied Kaul’s petition to immediately step in and block Musk from giving $2 million to two Wisconsin voters ahead of the critical Wisconsin Supreme Court race Tuesday. Kaul is moving for an emergency injunction, writing in the filing:”Resolution of this legal issue is urgent. Respondents have promised to give away the $1 million prizes at an event scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. this evening, March 30, 2025. If this Court does not take prompt action, and the prizes are awarded, the injury to public confidence in the validity of this election cannot be undone.”Now, the question is whether the Wisconsin Supreme Court will take the request before Sunday night’s town hall in Green Bay with Musk. The Wisconsin Supreme Court is currently made up of four liberals and three conservatives. The court’s four liberals are currently backing liberal candidate Susan Crawford in the race. Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, a liberal, announced in April 2024 that she would not be seeking reelection. Her announcement sparked a race that is garnering attention nationwide.Conservative candidate Brad Schimel, who is backed by Musk and President Donald Trump, is running against Crawford in a race that will ultimately decide the balance of the state Supreme Court.The legal dispute all began when Musk initially announced Thursday on social media that he would “personally hand over two checks for a million dollars each” to voters who participated in the Supreme Court election.His political action committee had already awarded $1 million to Scott Ainsworth, a mechanical engineer from Green Bay, for signing its petition.Musk deleted the post Friday and later clarified that the money would go to people who would serve as “spokesmen” for an online petition against “activist judges.”Wisconsin law makes it a felony to offer anything of value to induce a voter to cast a ballot or refrain from voting. Violators can face fines up to $10,000, imprisonment up to 3 1/2 years, or both.Kaul initially filed a lawsuit Friday afternoon seeking to block Musk from distributing those million-dollar payments.”The Wisconsin Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that elections in Wisconsin are safe, secure, free and fair,” Kaul said in a statement Friday. “Based on our understanding of applicable Wisconsin law, we have taken legal action to seek a court order to stop this from happening.”Late Friday night, the judge assigned to the case, the Honorable Columbia County Circuit Court Judge W. Andrew Voigt, refused to hear the lawsuit before Sunday’s Green Bay rally with Musk, so Kaul filed an emergency motion asking a Court of Appeals to take action. That motion was also rejected.Kaul is now appealing directly to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. It’s unknown yet whether the court will take up the attorney general’s request before Musk’s event Sunday night in Green Bay. Schimel told WISN 12 News on Friday that he has “no plans” to attend Sunday’s rally with Musk. The Supreme Court race has already broken spending records for a judicial contest in U.S. history, with funds raised exceeding $81 million. Musk has been the largest financial contributor, though billionaire George Soros and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker have donated a combined $3.5 million to Crawford’s campaign.The outcome of Tuesday’s election will determine ideological control of Wisconsin’s Supreme Court, which could have significant implications for issues ranging from abortion rights to redistricting in this key battleground state.WISN 12 News hosted the only debate between Schimel and Crawford. You can watch the entire debate here.
Wisconsin Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul is now appealing directly to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, asking the court to block billionaire Elon Musk from making any payments at a planned event Sunday night in Green Bay.
The new filing early Sunday comes less than one day after a group of appeals court judges denied Kaul’s petition to immediately step in and block Musk from giving $2 million to two Wisconsin voters ahead of the critical Wisconsin Supreme Court race Tuesday.
Kaul is moving for an emergency injunction, writing in the filing:
“Resolution of this legal issue is urgent. Respondents have promised to give away the $1 million prizes at an event scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. this evening, March 30, 2025. If this Court does not take prompt action, and the prizes are awarded, the injury to public confidence in the validity of this election cannot be undone.”
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Now, the question is whether the Wisconsin Supreme Court will take the request before Sunday night’s town hall in Green Bay with Musk.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court is currently made up of four liberals and three conservatives. The court’s four liberals are currently backing liberal candidate Susan Crawford in the race.
Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, a liberal, announced in April 2024 that she would not be seeking reelection. Her announcement sparked a race that is garnering attention nationwide.
Conservative candidate Brad Schimel, who is backed by Musk and President Donald Trump, is running against Crawford in a race that will ultimately decide the balance of the state Supreme Court.
The legal dispute all began when Musk initially announced Thursday on social media that he would “personally hand over two checks for a million dollars each” to voters who participated in the Supreme Court election.
His political action committee had already awarded $1 million to Scott Ainsworth, a mechanical engineer from Green Bay, for signing its petition.
Musk deleted the post Friday and later clarified that the money would go to people who would serve as “spokesmen” for an online petition against “activist judges.”
Wisconsin law makes it a felony to offer anything of value to induce a voter to cast a ballot or refrain from voting. Violators can face fines up to $10,000, imprisonment up to 3 1/2 years, or both.
Kaul initially filed a lawsuit Friday afternoon seeking to block Musk from distributing those million-dollar payments.
“The Wisconsin Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that elections in Wisconsin are safe, secure, free and fair,” Kaul said in a statement Friday. “Based on our understanding of applicable Wisconsin law, we have taken legal action to seek a court order to stop this from happening.”
Late Friday night, the judge assigned to the case, the Honorable Columbia County Circuit Court Judge W. Andrew Voigt, refused to hear the lawsuit before Sunday’s Green Bay rally with Musk, so Kaul filed an emergency motion asking a Court of Appeals to take action. That motion was also rejected.
Kaul is now appealing directly to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. It’s unknown yet whether the court will take up the attorney general’s request before Musk’s event Sunday night in Green Bay.
Schimel told WISN 12 News on Friday that he has “no plans” to attend Sunday’s rally with Musk.
The Supreme Court race has already broken spending records for a judicial contest in U.S. history, with funds raised exceeding $81 million. Musk has been the largest financial contributor, though billionaire George Soros and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker have donated a combined $3.5 million to Crawford’s campaign.
The outcome of Tuesday’s election will determine ideological control of Wisconsin’s Supreme Court, which could have significant implications for issues ranging from abortion rights to redistricting in this key battleground state.
WISN 12 News hosted the only debate between Schimel and Crawford. You can watch the entire debate here.