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Epoch Times
2 days ago
- General
- Epoch Times
Nevada Reaches Bipartisan Deal on Election Reform Bill, Including Voter ID and Ballot Drop Boxes
Nevada lawmakers have reached a rare bipartisan agreement on voting reforms, combining Republican-backed voter ID requirements with Democratic-supported expansion of ballot drop boxes in a newly passed bill that awaits the governor's signature. The compromise comes in the form of
Chicago Tribune
28-03-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Elon Musk gives $1 million to Wisconsin voter in Supreme Court race
Elon Musk says a Wisconsin voter has been awarded $1 million days before the conclusion of a fiercely contested state Supreme Court election that has broken spending records and become a referendum on Musk and the first months of President Donald Trump's administration. The payment to a Green Bay man, which Musk announced Wednesday night on his social media platform X, is similar to a lottery that Musk's political action committee ran last year in Wisconsin and other battleground states before the presidential election in November. The upcoming election on Tuesday, filling a seat held by a liberal justice who is retiring, will determine whether Wisconsin's highest court will remain under 4-3 liberal control or flip to a conservative majority. The race has become a proxy battle over the nation's politics, with Trump and Musk getting behind Brad Schimel, the Republican-backed candidate in the officially nonpartisan contest. The campaign for the Democratic-supported candidate, Susan Crawford, blasted the $1 million payment from Musk as an attempt to illegally buy influence on the court in a state where Tesla, his electric car company, has a lawsuit pending that could end up before the court. 'It's corrupt, it's extreme, and it's disgraceful to our state and judiciary,' Crawford spokesperson Derrick Honeyman said in a statement. No legal action against Musk's payments to voters has been filed in Wisconsin with the Supreme Court election five days away. Jay Heck, executive director of Common Cause in Wisconsin, said the payments were a last-minute attempt to influence the election. 'Whether or not Wisconsinites will believe this is legitimate or not probably won't be settled until after the election,' he said. 'But this not what a Wisconsin Supreme Court election ought to be decided on. Races for the high court are supposed to be on judicial temperament and impartiality, not huge amounts of money for partisan purposes.' Musk's political action committee, America First, announced last week that it was offering $100 to voters who signed a petition in opposition to 'activist judges.' He did not say there would be $1 million prizes at that time, but in his post on Wednesday said an additional $1 million award would be made in two days. It was not clear who determined the winner of the $1 million or how it was done. Musk's political action committee used a nearly identical tactic before the White House election last year, offering to pay $1 million a day to voters in Wisconsin and six other battleground states who signed a petition supporting the First and Second Amendments. It is a felony in Wisconsin to offer, give, lend or promise to lend or give anything of value to induce a voter to cast a ballot or not vote. The Musk petition says it is open only to registered Wisconsin voters, but those who sign it are not required to show any proof that they actually voted. The petition says: 'Judges should interpret laws as written, not rewrite them to fit their personal or political agendas. By signing below, I'm rejecting the actions of activist judges who impose their own views and demanding a judiciary that respects its role — interpreting, not legislating.' The petition, while designed to collect data on Wisconsin voters and energize them, also is in line with Trump's agenda alleging that 'activist' judges are illegally working against him. Trump's administration is embroiled in several lawsuits related to his flurry of executive orders and Musk's Department of Government Efficiency effort to downsize the federal bureaucracy. During last year's presidential race, Philadelphia's district attorney sued in an attempt to stop the payments under Pennsylvania law. But a judge said prosecutors failed to show the effort was an illegal lottery and allowed it to continue through Election Day. America PAC and Building for America's Future, two groups that Musk funds, have spent more than $17 million trying to help elect Schimel, according to a tally by the Brennan Center for Justice. Musk also has given the Wisconsin Republican Party $3 million this year, which it can then give to Schimel or spend on the race. More than $81 million has been spent on the race so far, obliterating the record for a judicial race in the U.S. of $51 million set in Wisconsin just two years ago, according to Brennan Center tallies. Originally Published: March 28, 2025 at 6:42 AM CDT
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Elon Musk to give talk in Wisconsin ahead of closely watched state Supreme Court contest: 'Super important'
Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) head Elon Musk said late Thursday he will be giving a talk to voters in Wisconsin this weekend ahead of the state's highly anticipated state Supreme Court election. "On Sunday night, I will give a talk in Wisconsin. Entrance is limited to those who have voted in the Supreme Court election," Musk wrote on his social media platform X. The billionaire said he would "personally hand over two checks for a million dollars each in appreciation for you taking the time to vote." "This is super important," Musk added. Obama Vs Trump: Political Giants Back Opposing Candidates In Widely-watched Wisconsin Supreme Court Contest Musk announced Wednesday night that a Green Bay man had been awarded $1 million for signing a petition from America PAC – which is funded by Musk – against "activist judges in Wisconsin." Read On The Fox News App Musk said the next million-dollar award would be announced Friday. The payment is similar to a lottery that Musk's political action committee ran last year in Wisconsin and other battleground states before the election in November. Watch: Elon Musk And Doge Team Give Exclusive Look At How They're Cutting Waste, Handle Critics America PAC announced last week that it was offering $100 to voters who signed its petition. Musk did not say that there would be $1 million prizes at that time, nor was it clear who determined the winner of the $1 million or how it was done. The upcoming election on Tuesday – filling a seat held by a liberal justice who is retiring – will determine whether Wisconsin's highest court will remain under 4-3 liberal control or flip to a conservative majority. The race is being closely watched, becoming a proxy battle over the nation's politics, with Trump supporters lined up behind the Republican candidate, Brad Schimel. The campaign for Schimel's Democratic-supported opponent, Susan Crawford, has blasted Musk's $1 million payment as a supposed illegal attempt to buy influence on the court in a state where Tesla, Musk's electric car company, has a lawsuit pending that could end up before the court. Fox News Digital's Alex Nitzberg and The Associated Press contributed to this article source: Elon Musk to give talk in Wisconsin ahead of closely watched state Supreme Court contest: 'Super important'
Fox News
28-03-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Elon Musk to give talk in Wisconsin ahead of closely watched state Supreme Court contest: 'Super important'
Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) head Elon Musk said late Thursday he will be giving a talk to voters in Wisconsin this weekend ahead of the state's highly anticipated state Supreme Court election. "On Sunday night, I will give a talk in Wisconsin. Entrance is limited to those who have voted in the Supreme Court election," Musk wrote on his social media platform X. The billionaire said he would "personally hand over two checks for a million dollars each in appreciation for you taking the time to vote." "This is super important," Musk added. Musk announced Wednesday night that a Green Bay man had been awarded $1 million for signing a petition from America PAC – which is funded by Musk – against "activist judges in Wisconsin." Musk said the next million-dollar award would be announced Friday. The payment is similar to a lottery that Musk's political action committee ran last year in Wisconsin and other battleground states before the election in November. America PAC announced last week that it was offering $100 to voters who signed its petition. Musk did not say that there would be $1 million prizes at that time, nor was it clear who determined the winner of the $1 million or how it was done. The upcoming election on Tuesday – filling a seat held by a liberal justice who is retiring – will determine whether Wisconsin's highest court will remain under 4-3 liberal control or flip to a conservative majority. The race is being closely watched, becoming a proxy battle over the nation's politics, with Trump supporters lined up behind the Republican candidate, Brad Schimel. The campaign for Schimel's Democratic-supported opponent, Susan Crawford, has blasted Musk's $1 million payment as a supposed illegal attempt to buy influence on the court in a state where Tesla, Musk's electric car company, has a lawsuit pending that could end up before the court.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Wisconsin Supreme Court race, Musk announces $1M payment to voter
The Brief Elon Musk said a Wisconsin Supreme Court race voter has been awarded $1 million. Musk and President Donald Trump have backed Brad Schimel in the race. The campaign for Democrat-backed Susan Crawford called the payment "corrupt." MADISON, Wis. - Billionaire Elon Musk says a Wisconsin voter has been awarded $1 million days before the conclusion of a fiercely contested state Supreme Court election that has broken spending records and become a referendum on Musk and the first months of President Donald Trump's administration. The backstory The upcoming election on Tuesday, filling a seat held by a liberal justice who is retiring, will determine whether Wisconsin's highest court will remain under 4-3 liberal control or flip to a conservative majority. The race has become a proxy battle over the nation's politics, with Trump and Musk getting behind Brad Schimel, the Republican-backed candidate in the officially nonpartisan contest. What they're saying The payment to a Green Bay man, which Musk announced Wednesday night on his social media platform X, is similar to a lottery that Musk's political action committee ran last year in Wisconsin and other battleground states before the presidential election in November. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android Musk's political action committee, America First, announced last week that it was offering $100 to voters who signed a petition in opposition to "activist judges." He did not say there would be $1 million prizes at that time, but in his post on Wednesday said an additional $1 million award would be made in two days. It was not clear who determined the winner of the $1 million or how it was done. The other side The campaign for the Democratic-supported candidate, Susan Crawford, blasted the $1 million payment from Musk as an attempt to illegally buy influence on the court in a state where Tesla, his electric car company, has a lawsuit pending that could end up before the court. "It's corrupt, it's extreme, and it's disgraceful to our state and judiciary," Crawford spokesperson Derrick Honeyman said in a statement. No legal action against Musk's payments to voters has been filed in Wisconsin with the Supreme Court election five days away. Jay Heck, executive director of Common Cause in Wisconsin, said the payments were a last-minute attempt to influence the election. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News "Whether or not Wisconsinites will believe this is legitimate or not probably won't be settled until after the election," he said. "But this not what a Wisconsin Supreme Court election ought to be decided on. Races for the high court are supposed to be on judicial temperament and impartiality, not huge amounts of money for partisan purposes." Dig deeper Musk's political action committee used a nearly identical tactic before the White House election last year, offering to pay $1 million a day to voters in Wisconsin and six other battleground states who signed a petition supporting the First and Second Amendments. It is a felony in Wisconsin to offer, give, lend or promise to lend or give anything of value to induce a voter to cast a ballot or not vote. The Musk petition says it is open only to registered Wisconsin voters, but those who sign it are not required to show any proof that they actually voted. The petition says: "Judges should interpret laws as written, not rewrite them to fit their personal or political agendas. By signing below, I'm rejecting the actions of activist judges who impose their own views and demanding a judiciary that respects its role – interpreting, not legislating." The petition, while designed to collect data on Wisconsin voters and energize them, also is in line with Trump's agenda alleging that "activist" judges are illegally working against him. Trump's administration is embroiled in several lawsuits related to his flurry of executive orders and Musk's Department of Government Efficiency effort to downsize the federal bureaucracy. During last year's presidential race, Philadelphia's district attorney sued in an attempt to stop the payments under Pennsylvania law. But a judge said prosecutors failed to show the effort was an illegal lottery and allowed it to continue through Election Day. By the numbers America PAC and Building for America's Future, two groups that Musk funds, have spent more than $17 million trying to help elect Schimel, according to a tally by the Brennan Center for Justice. Musk also has given the Wisconsin Republican Party $3 million this year, which it can then give to Schimel or spend on the race. More than $81 million has been spent on the race so far, obliterating the record for a judicial race in the U.S. of $51 million set in Wisconsin just two years ago, according to Brennan Center tallies. Editor's note: The headline for this report was updated for clarity. The Source The Associated Press provided this report.
