The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office has filed a lawsuit to prevent a political action committee (PAC) led by billionaire Elon Musk from offering a $1 million giveaway
to registered voters in key swing states.
The move has raised concerns among legal experts who question the legality of such incentives.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner’s lawsuit accuses Musk and his America PAC of attempting to sway voters in the upcoming presidential election. This legal action follows a recent Justice Department letter to the PAC, cautioning that providing cash incentives to registered voters could violate federal anti-bribery laws.
In a statement, Krasner emphasized, “The Philadelphia District Attorney is responsible for protecting the public from public nuisances and unfair trade practices, including illegal lotteries. The DA is also charged with safeguarding the integrity of elections.”
Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, has been vocal in his support for former President Donald Trump’s White House bid, pledging $1 million a day in giveaways to individuals who sign his PAC's petition, which advocates for free speech and the Second Amendment.
According to America PAC’s website, nine people across the U.S. have already received checks through the sweepstakes-style program, including four in Pennsylvania. The program restricts eligibility to registered voters in seven states, but offers Pennsylvania voters a unique incentive: $100 for signing the petition and an additional $100 for each referred signer.
The PAC's stated objective is to gather one million registered voters in swing states to show support for constitutional rights, especially freedom of speech and the right to bear arms. The initiative specifically targets voters in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, and North Carolina. Photo by Sang Hyun Cho, Wikimedia commons.
