Musk gives away $1 MILLION cheques ahead of Wisconsin election after supreme court refused to intervene (0.11345523651500647)
<iframe frameborder="0" height="100%" scrolling="no" src="https://www.gbnews.com/res/scraper/embed/?video_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmm-v2.simplestream.com%2Fiframe%2Fplayer.php%3Fkey%3D3Li3Nt2Qs8Ct3Xq9Fi5Uy0Mb2Bj0Qs%26player%3DGB003%26uvid%3D52797018%26type%3Dvod%26viously_id%3DwgXAwirHoFe" width="100%"></iframe><br/><p class="">Elon Musk has handed out two $1million cheques to supporters just before Wisconsin's judicial election after the state's supreme court declined the chance to intervene. </p><p>The mid-west state is due to hold a Supreme Court election on Tuesday to elect a judge for the Wisconsin Supreme Court to sit for a 10-year term.</p><h3></h3><br/><p>The state Attorney General and Democrat Josh Kaul have sued, complaining that giving away gifts in exchange for electoral support was illegal.</p><p>However, in an ardent defence of free speech, the tech tycoon's legal team issued a response, arguing that Kaul was "restraining Mr Musk's political speech and curtailing his First Amendment rights". </p><h3></h3><br/><img alt="Elon Musk in Wisconsin" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="25a060be2d5d6d5f4e12ae34a96586ba" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="4ec43" loading="lazy" src="https://www.gbnews.com/media-library/elon-musk-in-wisconsin.png?id=59754032&width=980"/><h3></h3><br/><p><br/></p><p><br/></p><p>At the rally last night, the billionaire deemed the election to be "critical" to Donald Trump's agenda during his second administration - as well as the "future of civilisation". </p><p>Speaking to a crowd of around 2,000 people, he declared the election a "super big deal", donning a massive cheesehead hat.</p><p>"I’m not phoning it in. I’m here in person," he said, emphasising the election's significance. </p><p>He added that "we just want judges to be judges" as he gave away $1million cheques to two individuals who had signed an online petition to block "activist judges". </p><p><strong>LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:</strong><br/></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.gbnews.com/news/us/elon-musk-confirms-merger-x-xai" target="_self">Elon Musk confirms $80 BILLION merger between X and xAI - 'Immense potential!'</a><strong></strong></li><li><a href="https://www.gbnews.com/lifestyle/cars/tesla-uk-milestone-elon-musk-new-electric-car-model-y" target="_self">Tesla reaches impressive UK milestone as Elon Musk prepares to launch new electric vehicle</a><span class="redactor-invisible-space"></span></li><li><span class="redactor-invisible-space"><a href="https://www.gbnews.com/lifestyle/cars/rachel-reeves-elon-musk-tesla-electric-car-funding-trump-tariffs" target="_blank">Rachel Reeves takes aim at Elon Musk and Tesla over electric car funding - 'We are looking at it'</a></span></li></ul><h3></h3><br><div class="embed-latest"></div><h3></h3><br><p><br/></p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p><p>The billionaire's legal team has claimed that the money was "intended to generate a grassroots movement in opposition to activist judges, not to expressly advocate for or against any candidate". </p><p>Two lower courts subsequently backed Musk, while the state's top court refused to hear the case altogether. </p><p>During the highly contested and much-anticipated election period, Musk and Trump have backed conservative candidate Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel in a bid to tip the court further away from liberal values.</p><p>Meanwhile, liberal judges have backed Dane County Judge Susan Crawford. </p><p>Consequently, Musk's lawyers insisted that those who have backed Crawford should be excluded from ruling on the matter of the X chief handing out cheques due to the possibility of bias.</p><h3></h3><br><img alt="Elon Musk in Wisconsin" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7e84b9b90220e61fe99c35e05ee0a3bb" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="587ef" loading="lazy" src="https://www.gbnews.com/media-library/elon-musk-in-wisconsin.png?id=59754476&width=980"/><h3></h3><br><div class="embed-dontmiss"></div><h3></h3><br><p>The state has witnessed an unprecedented amount of spending for a judicial election as more than $81million has been shelled out on campaigns so far.</p><p>Musk's speech has come as commentators dub the election an acid test of Trump's time in the White House since his second inauguration. </p><p>It will also come ahead of significant court rulings on abortion rights, voting laws and redrawing congressional boundaries - some of which might impact next year's mid-term elections.</p><p>Musk is known for his generous giveaways ahead of monumental elections. For example, he handed out $1million each day to voters across six battleground states - as long as they had signed a petition to back the rights to free speech and bear arms.</p><p>When taken to court, lawyers ruled that the giveaway was lawful.</p></br></br></br></br></br>
