Elon Musk’s political action committee, America PAC, quietly altered a social media video Tuesday after its star recipient — the winner of a $1 million check — appeared to openly admit she was rewarded for voting.
“I did exactly what Elon Musk told everyone to do: sign the petition, refer friends and family, vote, and now I have a million dollars,” said Ekaterina Deistler in the original version of the now-deleted video that was posted Monday.
That wording quickly raised alarm bells in Wisconsin, where it’s a felony to offer “anything of value” to “any elector” to encourage them to “vote or refrain from voting,” regardless of who they vote for.
By Tuesday, the original video had vanished from America PAC’s channels. It was replaced with an identical clip — minus the word “vote.”
Asked why the video was scrubbed, America PAC spokesperson Andrew Romeo told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “I don’t think we’re going to comment on it.”
The controversy comes after Musk’s high-profile, high-cost campaign to support conservative Brad Schimel in Wisconsin’s pivotal state Supreme Court race. Musk and America PAC poured millions into Wisconsin in a bid to back Schimel, framing the effort as a campaign against “activist judges.”
As part of the push, the PAC offered financial incentives to residents who signed a petition — ranging from $20 and $100 payouts for signatures and referrals to a pair of headline-grabbing $1 million checks handed out during Musk’s visit to Green Bay on Sunday.
The two recipients of the million-dollar prizes were Nicholas Jacobs, chair of the Wisconsin College Republicans, and Deistler, a graphic designer with no apparent political background.
The overall campaign behind Schimel flopped when Judge Susan Crawford won on Tuesday, flipping the court to a progressive majority.
When Musk initially tweeted that he was handing out two $1 million checks “in appreciation for you taking the time to vote,” experts flagged the language as potentially illegal under state election bribery laws.
Musk later issued a “clarification,” saying the winners would now serve as “spokespeople” for his anti–judicial activism petition.
Wisconsin AG Josh Kaul attempted to block the giveaway, calling it a clear violation of election law.
