Wisconsin Prosecutor Clears Musk Over 2 $1 Million Election Payment Offers

3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Aug 25

Tim Gruenke declined to charge Elon Musk over alleged election bribery tied to posts offering two $1 million checks around a Wisconsin voting event.
Musk first wrote that he would hand the checks to people "for taking the time to vote," then replaced that post about 12 hours later to say the money would go to two petition spokesmen.
Gruenke said the first post could be read as wrongdoing but also as entry to a free town hall, and concluded the revised post corrected the potential violation because nobody was paid for voting or promising to vote.
A 5-1 Wisconsin Elections Commission vote last month found the posts violated the state's election bribery statute and referred the matter to the special prosecutor, who said he doubted he could win a conviction.