this post was submitted on 02 Apr 2025
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[–] einlander@lemmy.world 245 points 2 days ago (6 children)

People who got money to vote should be named and shamed.

[–] Andr3w222@lemm.ee 125 points 2 days ago (1 children)

it should be illegal. that's bribery

[–] Hegar@fedia.io 135 points 2 days ago (2 children)

It's already illegal. Unless the rich do it, of course.

[–] Andr3w222@lemm.ee 43 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Pisses me off they get no accountability. when if you or I did it we would be locked up imminently.

[–] Sterile_Technique@lemmy.world 37 points 2 days ago (1 children)

We face legal justice. They face vigilante justice.

All we need is someone willing to pull the trigger and skilled enough to hit their target.

[–] angrystego@lemmy.world 31 points 2 days ago (2 children)

And willing to die in prison or be executed. That makes the numbers much smaller.

[–] Coldcell@sh.itjust.works 6 points 2 days ago
[–] futatorius@lemm.ee 1 points 2 days ago

Or live long enough for a pardon.

[–] Mog_fanatic@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

Unless I have the law wrong, he skirted the law. He didn't pay anyone to vote (although he originally said he was), he technically only paid them to sign a petition. The law afaik only says you can't pay people to vote (regardless of who, in Wisconsin you straight up cannot pay people to vote at all), you can pay them to sign a petition.

However I would argue that by first announcing that the money would go only to people who voted and then subtly changing it later is still totally a form of bribery. People absolutely voted for a chance at that money because of his original statement and didn't know it changed. But I'm going to go out on a limb here and say he'll be 100% fine because of technicalities (aka he's rich as shit and is completely untouchable)

[–] orcrist@lemm.ee 8 points 2 days ago (1 children)

You're making a legal claim, and that claim that should be examined closely in court to establish its veracity. For example, I disagree with your analysis. I think that everyone understands what's actually being offered: money for a vote. I think that a jury could convict, and that there is probable cause to arrest and charge right now.

And the reasoning is quite simple, right? You want to give money for the vote but you know that would be illegal so instead you say something that's almost the same as the vote and then wink a few times. Everyone has communicated clearly. Everyone knows exactly what they're supposed to do, and why. Just because you wrote down some words cleverly on paper doesn't change the causes or effects.

But that's my opinion, and I'm not a judge in that state. Neither are you. Neither are any of us here in the comment section. That's why it ought to go before a judge in that state.

[–] SLVRDRGN@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

Well you can read it here, the Wisconsin Supreme Court's four liberal and three conservative justices unanimously declined to hear the case, without elaborating further.

[–] Hegar@fedia.io 3 points 2 days ago

He paid people to vote, that's just very clearly what he did.

[–] tigeruppercut@lemmy.zip 87 points 2 days ago (3 children)

It was a pledge to vote, not legally binding. A lot of desperate people these days, and I can't say I wouldn't try to scam elon out of a million bucks if given the opportunity. "Sure sure, I'll totally vote how you want Mr Musky sir. Make sure you spell my name right on the check now."

[–] Podunk@lemmy.world 64 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

Yeah my internet history alone would eliminate me from that running.

The winners are "pre selected". Thats how his bullshit workaround works. Its been admitted. But for the uninformed, it sounds like a lottery.

It isnt.

even if a communist or anarchist or whatever tried to play the game and if it were a true lottery, you would be committing a far worse disservice by keeping quiet at this point.

Stay quiet and maybe get a million. Its the democrat way if you look at our current dem politicians... do you really want to be like them right now?

[–] MordercaSkurwysyn@lemm.ee 12 points 2 days ago

Every lottery run by private business is not a lottery but transfer of money from gullible to someone's friends and family.

[–] Treble@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 2 days ago

Could buy a lotta drones 🌻

[–] Alexstarfire@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago

Even so, the point of such laws is to be as impartial as possible. That's not possible once people start accepting stuff. Doesn't matter if they can still technically not vote.

It's not because it's guaranteed to sway votes, but because it could.

[–] einlander@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago

Understandable.

[–] Zorsith@lemmy.blahaj.zone 56 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I almost guarantee he canceled those checks the second she won.

[–] Andr3w222@lemm.ee 22 points 2 days ago
[–] ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 42 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Some of those people probably took the money and voted Democrat anyway.

If someone was trying to bride me for a vote I'd take their money and still vote for whoever I wanted.

What's he going to do? Look over my shoulder and verify who I voted for?

[–] CouldntCareBear@sh.itjust.works 11 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Still, it probably has a chilling ef fect. Voting Dems becomes like a secret you have to keep rather than something you should shout from the roofs - less likely to make that post on social media, put up a sticker or a sign, tell your friend and family etc.

[–] gabbath@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It's not legally binding though. You could absolutely shout from the rooftops how you got Elon's money and now you're voting Dem, and encourage people to do the same. If enough people brag openly about doing it, it would be terribly humiliating for Elon.

[–] orcrist@lemm.ee 4 points 2 days ago

And risk your own personal safety? That's a terrible idea.

[–] einlander@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago
[–] bamboo@lemmy.blahaj.zone 12 points 2 days ago

I think he is skirting the law by having the payments be for signing a petition tangential to a vote, but not directly about voting. It's scummy to say the least, and if you did sign, you'll probably get spam calls and mail for the rest of your life. At least in this case, the outcome was that Elon didn't get his preferred candidate to win, he's wasting money paying people to get on his mailing list, and now when Tesla's Wisconsin case gets to the state supreme court, Crawford will be on the court