By Evan Vorpahl

The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, is spending millions of dollars to aid a right-wing candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Brad Schimel, in the coming election on April 1, 2025. Musk is best known for his spate of dictates destroying jobs for federal workers in Wisconsin and across the country under the auspices of the Trump administration’s invented entity dubbed the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE). Many have expressed concerns about the billionaire’s effort to capture the courts after his unprecedented spending to help Donald Trump capture the White House. The Wisconsin Supreme Court decides on cases that affect fair maps for elections, union bargaining rights, and access to abortion care for Wisconsinites.  

Musk-funded groups have spent more than $10 million cumulatively so far (as of March 13, 2025) to assail Schimel’s opponent, Susan Crawford. That includes a group that calls itself “Progress 2028,” which “is posting fake pro-Susan Crawford ads on Facebook,” according to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel investigative reporter Dan Bice. Progress 2028, is running so-called “issue ads” claiming that “Judge Susan Crawford would reform cash bail (and) supports second chances, not incarceration … Say thank you,” but Crawford has not taken a position on cash bail. Such ads seek to paint her as soft on crime, a typical tactic of right-wing groups in judicial races across the country, regardless of the facts.

Schimel has said he is pleased to have the backing of America’s richest man and would welcome Trump’s endorsement, as well. Schimel previously told Turning Point USA canvassers that Trump needs a “support network” and seemingly endorsed Trump’s lies around the 2020 election. Last weekend, Schimel told supporters that “the Wisconsin Supreme Court screwed (Trump) over” in 2020, although he admitted he “didn’t spend any time reviewing” the state supreme court’s rejection of Trump’s 2020 election challenges, challenges rejected by federal and state judges across the country. Similarly, earlier this year, Schimel expressed sympathy for convicted January 6th insurrectionists whom Trump pardoned, claiming they didn’t get a “fair shot” in their cases, despite their plea bargains or jury trials convicting them for their crimes. 

Musk, who was born in South Africa, came to the U.S. on a J-1 student visa but abandoned his studies to start a business, in a move The Washington Post found meant he was “working illegally.” He later became a U.S. citizen–alongside his citizenship from South Africa and Canada. Musk does not reside in Wisconsin, and there is no evidence he spends time in the Badger State. As he is pouring millions into this judicial election, Tesla is suing Wisconsin over a decision that blocked it from opening dealerships in the state, a case which could reach the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Several years ago, when the state’s highest court was dominated by Republican-aligned justices, its majority adopted recusal rules at the behest of the state’s chamber of commerce, Wisconsin Manufacturing and Commerce, that do not require recusal from cases brought by people or groups that help a judge win election in the state.  

Here is a quick summary of the key groups tied to Musk that are spending big to influence who wins the swing seat that will determine the majority control on Wisconsin’s highest court.

America PAC

“America PAC,” a super PAC launched by Musk and other tech billionaires to back Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, played a key role in the Trump campaign’s ground game in swing states in October 2024. That PAC has spent over $4.2 million (as of March 6, 2025) backing Schimel’s bid for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, largely focused on canvassing and digital media ads.

America PAC: What You Should Know

• America PAC Is Fueled by Elon Musk: Elon Musk is the PAC’s main funder, contributing the vast majority of its funds–over $217 million out of $263 million–in 2024.
  
  • Other large funders include: Nelson Peltz, Antonio Gracias, Douglas Leone, Joe Craft, Joe Lonsdale, the Winklevoss twins, and various members of the DeVos family ($2 million). Betsy DeVos was Trump’s Secretary of Education in his first term and is a Trump mega donor alongside her husband Dick DeVos.

• According to an April 2024 ruling by the FEC, Musk’s America PAC was allowed to coordinate its canvassing efforts directly with the Trump campaign. In September, The Guardian reported that Trump’s ground game was largely exported to Musk’s operation.

• It Has a History of Controversy
  
  • America PAC provided daily cash payments directly to swing state voters, a move that many legal experts have said was illegal and the Biden Administration’s Justice Department said could violate federal election law. In October 2024, the PAC paid $1 million to a Wisconsin resident as part of those activities.
  • In 2024, America PAC launched ads that repeatedly called Kamala Harris a “c-word,” before calling her a Communist. Another video shared by Musk and America PAC on Twitter showed Trump in gladiatorial combat repeatedly kicking a warrior with Kamala Harris’ face. It was revealed that the video was created by an account aligned with neo-nazis. Notably, in January 2025, Musk gave two Nazi salutes following Trump’s inauguration.
  • America PAC ran ”register to vote” ads on social media, targeting swing state voters that appeared to collect voter data for its canvassing efforts in 2024. Michigan and North Carolina were reportedly investigating America PAC in the Fall of 2024, though it denied wrongdoing and no charges have been filed.

• It Is Heavily Tied to MAGA and GOP Operatives
  • During the 2024 election America PAC spent more than $250 million to help elect Trump and other downballot Republicans and collaborated closely with TPUSA in Wisconsin, a key state target of Turning Point Action’s “ballot chasing” initiative.
  • America PAC uses canvassing software by Campaign Sidekick, which was launched by operative Drew Ryun, who has claimed that Crawford’s election as a Wisconsin Supreme Court Judge would be a “five alarm five” for Trump’s agenda. Ryun and his brother Ned Ryun launched the right-wing candidate training group “American Majority” in 2008, with the help of Wisconsin operative Eric O’Keefe.
    • American Majority and its 501(c)(4) arm, AM Action, are core components of the right-wing political “infrastructure” in Wisconsin and have been deeply involved in efforts to elect right-wing judges in the state.
    • According to internal documents of the Milwaukee-based Bradley Foundation, itself a major funder of American Majority, billionaire industrialist and Leonard Leo-funder Barre Seid anonymously provided $2.1 million to American Majority in 2011.
    • Drew Ryun also worked with Jay Sekulow (who helped Leonard Leo to launch Judicial Crisis Network in 2005) from 2005-2009 running Government Affairs, and “play[ing] a role in the nominations of Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito.”
  • Phil Cox and Generra Peck–who previously worked for Ron DeSantis’ failed presidential campaign and helped launch Musk’s 501(c)(4) Building America’s Future (see below)–were heavily involved with America PAC in 2024, according to the New York Times.
    • Cox is a longtime GOP operative who worked on various campaigns–State Delegate, Attorney General, and Governor–for former Virginia GOP Governor Bob McDonnell. McDonnell was prosecuted for corruption but his conviction was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2016.
    • In the mid-2000s, Cox worked at the Koch-funded Mercatus Center, where he reportedly “helped ramp up” the Koch-funded group Americans for Prosperity. Cox also apparently worked as a private political consultant with Tim Phillips (who then led AFP) at a firm called New Dominion Strategies. In 2005, Cox allegedly recruited Robin Vanderwall–who was later convicted of soliciting sex from a minor on the internet–to run his Faith and Family Alliance nonprofit, which was “operating as a shell” for Jack Abramoff’s lobbying operations.
    • Cox consulted and then ran the Republican Governor’s Association from 2011-2014. In a profile describing his RGA tenure, The Washington Times called him a “Republican kingmaker.” Cox has also been on the board of WinRed and the Senate Leadership Fund. In 2014, Cox applauded Charles Koch’s Americans for Prosperity as a “tremendous partner” during the Wisconsin recall elections.
    • Cox also has private clients, including Apple and LIV Golf (which is owned by the Saudis). In the past, Cox was a lobbyist personally for Honeywell and Ford, and his firm, GuidePost Strategies, has had “Reynolds American, pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, BMW and the American Petroleum Institute” as clients. 

Building America’s Future

Another group called Building America’s Future (BAF), which Musk began funding in 2022, is running deceptive ads aimed at dissuading undecided voters away from Crawford. “Progress 2028,” a legal alias of Building America’s Future, is running faux pro-Crawford digital ads claiming she supports “second chances, not incarceration” and would “stand up for immigrants,”claims she has not made and that appear designed to alienate her from potential supporters. “Progress 2028” is one of many legal aliases that Building America’s Future has registered that could trick voters into being repelled by what they believe is a progressive group taking an unfavorable position. 

BAF also launched ads featuring a picture of Harvard professor Susan P. Crawford (instead of the supreme court candidate) in its attack against Wisconsin supreme court candidate Susan M. Crawford. As of March 4, 2025, Building America’s Future has spent over $2 million on ads and outreach to help Schimel’s bid for the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Overall, BAF’s 501(c)(4) has spent over $100 million since it was launched in 2021, according to the New York Times. Tax filings show the group raised $21 million in 2023 and over $53 million in 2022. Though the exact extent of Musk’s contributions to BAF are unknown, Musk’s initial funding of BAF in 2022 coincided with a replacement of the group’s board and a surge in funding amounting to nearly five times the group’s 2021 revenue.

The group shares a number of personnel with Musk’s America PAC. Musk has provided millions of dollars to the dark money group since 2022 according to Reuters, which reported that “the contributions to Building America’s Future remained closely guarded.” 

BAF: What You Should Know

• It Is Run by Many of the Same GOP Operatives as Musk’s America PAC
  
  • Like America PAC, BAF has been led by Generra Peck and Phil Cox, along with two other GOP operatives, Ethan Eilon and Andrew Romeo (all four of whom were involved in Ron DeSantis’ failed presidential bid). BAF’s current executive director is Katherine Neal, a senior VP at P2 Public Affairs, which was launched by Cox and Peck. BAF’s treasurer Cabell Hobbs is assistant treasurer of Musk’s America PAC and treasurer of the Republican State Leadership Committee’s Judicial Fairness Initiative (RSLC-JFI).
    
  • The group has employed a number of other GOP operatives, including Catherine Chestnut Linkul, a former DeSantis campaign staffer who had a short stint as BAF president, BAF Founding Chair Jason Roe who is the former executive director of the Michigan GOP, and BAF Counsel James Tyrrell III who clerked for former Trump White House counsel Don McGahn.
    
• Building America’s Future Has Spawned Many Controversies
  • Building America’s Future has registered 15 different legal aliases with the state of Virginia since 2022, including its latest, “Make America Affordable Again,” on February 13, 2025. It also lists a number of projects, including “Restoring Energy Dominance,” “Coalition to Protect American Workers,” “Chaos at the Border,” and “Americans for Consumer Protection,” among others.
  • During the 2024 election, BAF funded Facebook ads “made to look as though they came from Democrats, falsely claiming Harris supported policies such as eliminating gas-powered vehicles and giving voting rights to immigrants living in the U.S. illegally,” according to AP News. It was also the “sole funder of a super PAC that ran contradictory ads in Michigan and Pennsylvania on Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’ stance on Israel. The ads characterized her position differently in targeted messages to Arab American and Jewish voters.”
  • “Progress 2028” ran fake pro-Harris ads in the lead up to the 2024 election that linked her to policy ideas she did not support. The right-wing dark money group also propped up a website with a document pretending to present a Progressive alternative to Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, but in reality it highlighted false and misleading claims about Kamala Harris’s policy positions.
  • In 2022, BAF gave $43 million to Citizens for Sanity, a group closely aligned with some of the key architects of Project 2025. Citizens for Sanity ultimately spent nearly $100 million in the midterms; its race-baiting ads were blasted by Will Bunch as “deliberately dishonest” and more racist than the infamous 1988 Willie Horton ad. 
  • BAF also funded the “Fair Election Fund” which offered $5 million to anyone submitting evidence of “voter fraud” during the 2024 election. The Fair Election Fund was also behind efforts to keep third party candidates Jill Stein, RFK Jr., and Cornel West on the ballot in key swing states to siphon votes from Harris. In Wisconsin, an LLC with a similar name to the Musk-funded (c)(4) “Building Our Future Today” bankrolled a Houston-based shell called “Badger Values PAC” which boosted Jill Stein in the swing state. The super PAC ended operations weeks after the election.
  • BAF also funded other groups, such as “Duty to America PAC” and “Future Coalition PAC,” which ran ads distorting Kamala Harris’ statements in an effort to fracture her support among other demographics like young men and Muslim Americans.

• BAF is also Tied to Leonard Leo Who Is Responsible for the Capture of the U.S. Supreme Court
  
  • BAF’s former president Chris Jankowski, who was also formerly the CEO of the Pro-DeSantis “Never Back Down” PAC, was the settlor of the $1.6 billion Marble Freedom Trust that anti-abortion billionaire Barre Seid transferred to Leonard Leo in 2020.
    • Jankowski, who was also on the board of BAF’s now-defunct sister organization “Freedom’s Future Fund” along with several other BAF staffers, has also been a consultant with Leo’s Judicial Crisis Network for some periods since 2014. His own bio, for example, has described himself as “a lead consultant to the Judicial Crisis Network’s successful Supreme Court confirmation campaigns. These efforts blocked the nomination of Merrick Garland and pushed for confirmation of Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. These unprecedented efforts, with almost $30 million spent, helped create a new conservative majority on the Court.”
    • A spokesperson of Leo’s for-profit CRC Advisers described Leo’s longstanding relationship with Jankowski, explaining that Leo considers him “one of the most effective political strategists in the country.”
    • Jankowski was also an adviser for N2 America, a dark money group that boosted the GOP among suburban voters. N2 America was led by Heritage Action’s Jessica Anderson and received $1 million from Leo’s Concord Fund between 2020 and 2021.
    • Jankowski was executive director of RSLC’s REDMAP in 2010 and later led RSLC from 2011 to 2014. He describes his work at REDMAP, thus: “Created, designed, and led a national effort to gain control of state legislatures in the 2010 cycle in order to have maximum impact on congressional redistricting; widely credited with eventually resulting in the largest Republican congressional majority since 1928.”

Early Vote Action 

A super PAC called “Early Vote Action” (EVA) is also engaged in a GOTV campaign backing Brad Schimel for Wisconsin Supreme Court, and its single biggest donor is…guess who? Elon Musk. The billionaire contributed $1 million in August 2024. 

EVA was launched by right-wing influencer Scott Presler in January 2023. By the end of 2024, it reported more than $6.7 million in total contributions last cycle. 

EVA: What You Should Know

• It Has Ties to January 6 Organizers
  • In September 2024, the PAC reported $60,000 worth of computer equipment received in-kind from Turning Point PAC. Turning Point Action, the 501(c)(4) counterpart of Turning Point PAC, sent six buses with approximately 350 participants to the January 6 protests that preceded the insurrection, as well as funneling money to fund then-fiance of Donald Trump Jr., Kimberly Guilfoyle’s, speech there. 
  • EVA also took in a $45,000 donation from “Fight like a Flynn,” a PAC tied to former Trump national security advisor Michael Flynn, a leader in the far-right Christian nationalist movement who has endorsed QAnon conspiracies and urged Trump to suspend the constitution in order to cling to power following Trump’s 2020 election loss. Flynn also spoke at a rally preceding the January 6 attack on the capitol.

• It Is Working with Other Controversial Groups to Get-Out-The-Vote and Overwhelm Election Boards
  • EVA has partnered with Turning Point Action’s “Chase the Vote” effort, which describes itself as the “first and most robust conservative ballot-chasing operation.” The coalition launched in 2024 to target AZ, NV, IA, WI, MI, OH, PA, NC, GA, and FL. Other national organizations working with Turning Point Action and EVA are Tea Party Patriots Action, America First Works, Run Gen Z, Moms for America, Community Action Network, and College Republicans of America.
  • Mother Jones has suggested that EVA, which operates the Early Vote Action app for canvassers, may be more impactful at overwhelming election boards and offices than increasing turnout.
  • EVA claims to be building an early vote infrastructure alternative to the RNC that can target elections like the Wisconsin Supreme Court race. It described one idea was to “pair deeply red/blue cities with vulnerable districts and states. For example, Republican volunteers in Chicago can help with the Supreme Court seat in Wisconsin […] ”
  • EVA’s presence was heaviest in Pennsylvania ahead of the 2024 presidential election, with right-wing operative Scott Pressler bragging that “74 staff members registered and mobilized over 50,000 new voters in Pennsylvania.” Presler announced the PAC’s intentions to retire 23 of its 2025 staff and oppose the retention of three justices of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2025, thereby “mak[ing] Pennsylvania the next Ohio.” 

For additional information about this article, please contact Evan Vorpahl at evan@truenorthresearch.org. True North’s Lisa Graves and Alyssa Bowen contributed to this article.