Elon Musk's Law Firm Tied to Election Integrity Group

A law firm with ties to tech mogul Elon Musk has been linked to the establishment of an organization focused on promoting "election integrity at the state and local level. The nonprofit in question is called the Association of State and Local Election Officials. According to its registration filing in Texas, this group boasts a diverse board of directors.

Among those on the board are Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd, as well as current and former officials from Georgia's election office. A Michigan state representative and the president of Cleta Mitchell's Election Integrity Network also hold positions on the board. This latter organization is closely associated with the Trump administration's stance on election denial.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis publicly announced his involvement in this group, alongside Secretary Byrd, in September. The pair highlighted the mission of bringing election integrity policies to the state and local level nationwide. They emphasized that this effort would not begin until after the upcoming elections.

While it is unclear whether Musk has any direct involvement with this organization, he has been a significant financial supporter of Republican candidates and causes in recent years. His America PAC has been financing a large-scale canvassing operation aimed at boosting voter turnout for Republican hopefuls in November's midterm elections.

Musk has emerged as the single largest donor to Republican candidates in the current election cycle, having spent over $445 million on Senate races considered crucial to maintaining a Republican majority.

Since July, Elon Musk's spending on Republican candidates has reached nearly $276 million, a sum comparable to his total outlay during the entire 2024 presidential election cycle.

The stakes are high for Musk in these elections, as Democratic majorities in both the House and Senate would put his companies and himself under scrutiny from congressional investigators.

This connection between Lex Politica, a law firm that has worked with Musk, and officials involved in election integrity activities is not an isolated instance.

Musk's long-standing support for the racist great replacement theory, which posits that minorities are supplanting white people in the US and other Western countries, underlies his election denialism.

Election misinformation disseminated by Musk this cycle includes a recent claim about Texas US Senate candidate James Talarico being committed to a psychiatric facility in Ohio.

The Washington, DC address listed on the Association of State and Local Election Officials' Texas filing is actually a mailbox at a UPS Store on Pennsylvania Avenue.

This same address was also used by Lex Politica, a law firm that has represented Elon Musk's and America PAC's political interests in court cases, according to a US Supreme Court filing submitted by Erin Hawley, an attorney with the firm who is married to Senator Josh Hawley.

A review of public records shows that the nonprofit's Texas registration was first uncovered by True North Research, a Democratic-linked research group.

Lex Politica's ties to the Association of State and Local Election Officials have not been publicly acknowledged by Garcar, Kim, or Gober, despite questions being posed about the connection.

The law firm, Lex Politica, lists just two partners who are both alumni of the same firm.

Florida's Secretary of State, Cord Byrd, has expressed concerns about election officials certifying voting processes that may not align with federal law and voter trust. This sentiment is echoed in his description of an organization he will lead to promote election integrity, principles, and federal law and policy". Under Byrd's leadership, Florida has introduced measures criticized by voting rights advocates, including a state version of the SAVE Act requiring proof of citizenship at polling stations.

Byrd's enthusiasm for expanding this initiative nationwide is evident in his statement that the organization will use Florida as its model. He aims to replicate the state's policies and procedures across the country, with the goal of promoting election integrity through federal law and policy compliance. This move has sparked concerns about potential voter disenfranchisement and erosion of trust in electoral processes.

The organization's board also features prominent figures associated with election denialism. Sharon Bemis, president of Mitchell's Election Integrity Network, is a key member. The network has been instrumental in spreading misinformation about voting systems and outcomes. Julie Adams, an outspoken election denier, serves on both the Fulton County Board of Elections in Georgia and as regional coordinator for the Election Integrity Network.

Janice Johnston, who recently departed from her position on the MAGA-dominated Georgia State Election Board, is also a member of the organization's board. Her involvement raises questions about potential conflicts of interest and the influence of partisan politics on electoral processes. Ann Bollin, a Michigan state house representative, has coordinated with the Election Integrity Network in the past.

The offices of Byrd and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have declined to comment on their involvement with this organization, leaving many questions unanswered. The lack of transparency surrounding their roles and the composition of the organization's board has sparked concerns about potential manipulation of electoral processes at a national level.

The lack of transparency surrounding the organization's activities has raised concerns about its potential impact on electoral processes at a national level.

Despite repeated requests for information, the organization's board members have not commented on their roles or the group's goals.

The organization's Texas registration does not provide any details about its work, and it appears to have no online presence.

Johnston's background in Georgia's State Election Board is particularly noteworthy, where she oversaw a period marked by turmoil, partisanship, and legal battles based on false fraud claims.

Under her direction, the election board pursued investigations of Fulton County that were later found to be baseless.

The investigation into election irregularities in Fulton County was led by an individual who had previously served as an obstetrician and was appointed to the State Election Board by a Republican.

During the raid on her home, this person went live on Steve Bannon's War Room podcast from a nearby SUV, sparking public attention. The Justice Department initially sought to keep her identity hidden but ultimately revealed her name in court documents.

Elon Musk has continued to engage with US politics and elections through his online presence, despite scaling back his public discussions of these topics.