Pennsylvania court allows Musk to give away $1 million to hesitant voters
Photo: Elon Musk and Donald Trump (RBC-Ukraine collage)
In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a judge allowed Elon Musk to pay $1 million a day to residents who are undecided about which candidate to support in the presidential election on November 5, according to Reuters.
During a hearing in Philadelphia on Monday, Judge Angelo Foglietta rejected an attempt by District Attorney Larry Krasner to block such payments. The prosecutor described the program as an illegal lottery with vaguely defined rules that violate state consumer protection laws.
Reuters argues that this giveaway falls into a gray area of election legislation. Legal experts are divided on whether Musk could violate federal law by paying people to register to vote.
According to media reports, the US Department of Justice warned America PAC that the cash giveaway could violate federal law. However, federal prosecutors have taken no public action.
Philadelphia, the largest city in Pennsylvania, is one of seven states likely to determine the outcome of the race between Republican Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. The winner in this state will receive 19 electoral votes out of the 270 needed for victory.
Political lottery
Since October 19, Musk and his political action committee, America PAC, have been issuing a $1 million check daily to voters who sign his petition supporting free speech and the right to bear arms.
The businessman’s proposal targets registered voters in seven states expected to hold elections: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Tesla has reported that CEO Musk has already allocated $16 million to registered, undecided voters who signed his political petition. According to the businessman, the final winner will be announced on election day, Tuesday, November 5.
The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office filed a lawsuit on October 28. It called Musk’s America PAC prize giveaway, which supports presidential candidate Donald Trump, an “illegal lottery” that entices Pennsylvania residents to share their personal information.
Last week, Musk and America PAC attempted to move the case to federal court, temporarily delaying the state court judge from ruling on Krasner’s request for a restraining order to block the giveaway. A federal judge quickly remanded the case back to state court, scheduling a hearing for Monday, November 4.
Support for Trump
This year, Elon Musk has openly supported Donald Trump and promoted the former president on his social media platform X. According to federal filings, he has contributed nearly $120 million to efforts aimed at mobilizing and registering voters in the United States.
Earlier in October, Musk appeared on stage at a Trump rally in Butler, Missouri, and stated that the former US president should return to the presidency to preserve democracy in the United States.
In three months, the businessman has contributed about $75 million to his Trump-supporting group. This gives the Republican candidate a strong chance of winning the election.
