Hijacking Campaign 2025 | Independent Expenditures | Issue Ads | Candidates | Campaign 2025
Posted: February 21, 2025
Updated: April 4, 2025
America PAC is a federally registered independent expenditure committee largely funded by Tesla founder and presidential senior advisor Elon Musk. Filings with the Federal Elections Commission show that Musk provided about 90%, or over $238.5 million, of the organization’s 2024 income.
Two days after the spring primaries on February 18th, the committee reported laying aside a million dollars for canvassing and field operations to support Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Brad Schimel for the Wisconsin State Supreme Court. Schimel, who previously served as state attorney general as a Republican, faced Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford for an open seat on the high court. Although the court is officially nonpartisan, Schimel was backed by the GOP and Crawford by the state Democratic party. Moreover, some America PAC's ads made explicit appeal to Republicans and touted President Donald Trump's endorsement of Schimel. As the retiring justice came from the court’s 4-3 liberal majority, the outcome of the election would determine the court’s future ideological direction. Crawford's victory in the April 1st election, should ensure liberal control of the court for at least three more years.
At the beginning of the last week in February, the group reported spending over $447,000 for online advertising and texts opposing Crawford and another $817,800 for campaign literature and canvassing efforts in support of Schimel. Towards the end of that week, it reported spending nearly $292,000 for mailers opposing Crawford and supporting Schimel.
At the end of February, the committee reported spending over $653,000 for mailers and texts in support of Schimel.
Towards the end of the first week in March, America PAC reported spending another million dollars for canvassing and field operations to support Schimel. A day later, it reported spending over $165,000 for phone calls and campaign literature in support of Schimel.
About three weeks before the April 1st election, the PAC spent over another reported $1.8 million for online advertising, mailers and canvassing expenses to back Schimel and oppose Crawford. Two days later, it reported spending over $34,000 texts in support of Schimel. A day later, it reported spending over $308,300 on phone banks and mailers supporting Schimel.
Fifteen days before the April election, America PAC reported spending nearly $805,000 for canvassing, phone calls and texting to support Schimel.
Two weeks before the election, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign obtained one of the PAC's mailers. The mailer attacks Crawford as "soft-on-crime" and portrays Schimel as an ally of President Donald Trump and his agenda, including a photo of Schimel with Trump and ending with the admonishment to "ELECT Trump conservative Brad Schimel."
Eleven days from election day, America PAC reported spending over a million dollars for mailers, texts and online advertising to back Schimel.
Eight days before the election, the PAC reported spending over $3.14 million on phone calls, texts, emails, online advertising and canvassing ($1.75 million for this alone), to support Schimel. A day later it reported spending over another half a million dollars for texts.
Four days before the election, it reported about $178,400 going towards online advertising, texts and event costs.
A day before the election, America PAC reported over another $50,600 for digital ad production and event costs. The day of the election, it reported spending over $320,000 for phone calls, texts and online advertising.
Two days after the election, the group reported spending over $127,000 for phone calls in the race.
This organization is an unregistered independent expenditure committee that is required to report any such spending done within 60 days of a primary or an election to the Wisconsin Ethics Commission per Chapter 11, Subchapter X of Wisconsin Statutes.