A Wisconsin prosecutor announced Tuesday that Elon Musk will not face election bribery charges related to a social media post promising money to voters. La Crosse County District Attorney Tim Gruenke, appointed as special prosecutor, stated that no jury would find the actions constituted election bribery.
Gruenke explained that even if the initial post was perceived as a bribe, ultimately no one received payment for voting or promising to vote. He noted that Musk corrected the post, and nothing of value was ever given to anyone. In his statement, Gruenke described the situation as a "simple case of a poorly worded statement that was corrected and brought into compliance with the law," if one disregards Musk's public profile and the large sum of money involved.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission had referred two complaints to the Brown County district attorney's office, suggesting Musk likely violated the law. The complaints stemmed from a social media post Musk made shortly before the 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court election. In the post, he offered to hold an event in Green Bay open only to those who had voted, stating, "I will also personally hand over two checks for a million dollars each in appreciation for you taking the time to vote."
Musk later revised the post, changing the condition to attendance being limited to individuals who signed a petition he was circulating against activist judges, with the money intended for those who would advocate for the petition.
Musk was actively involved in the effort to shift the majority control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, backing a candidate who ultimately lost to the Democratic-supported Susan Crawford. Spending in that election exceeded $100 million, making it the most expensive judicial race in U.S. history. Musk and affiliated groups reportedly spent at least $20 million supporting the losing candidate, who was defeated by 10 percentage points.
Previously, Wisconsin's Democratic attorney general initiated a lawsuit to prevent Musk from distributing the checks to voters, but state courts rejected this effort. Musk's legal team argued that his actions were an exercise of free speech rights and that any restriction would violate both state and federal constitutions.