Regulation

Elon Musk Wins Lawsuit Over PAC’s $1M Voter Giveaway

Published

6 days ago

October 31, 2024

Elon Musk’s $1 million voter giveaway will proceed after a Pennsylvania state judge declined to immediately halt the initiative. The decision permits Musk’s Political Action Committee (PAC), America PAC, to continue offering financial incentives to registered voters just days before the November 5 U.S. presidential election.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner had petitioned for the injunction, saying that the giveaway constitutes an unlawful lottery to influence voters. Nonetheless, Judge Angelo Foglietta has stayed the proceedings, permitting Musk to engage in the electoral process as the federal court determines whether it wants to hear the case.

Elon Musk Wins Lawsuit Over PAC’s $1M Voter Giveaway

On October 31st, Judge Fogliatta chose to stay the lawsuit against the Tesla CEO and not proceed with the trial. He noted that a federal court is still to decide whether it will take over the case and therefore, Musk’s $1 million giveaway campaign will continue until the election day. The lawsuit filed by Krasner on October 28th argues that the give away can influence the voters and is against the state consumer protection laws.

UPDATE: Elon Musk was not in the courtroom as the hearing got underway at 10 a.m. ET and is seeking to move the case to federal court. https://t.co/g5tXAisCST pic.twitter.com/wNVnQr9mjz
— ALEX (@ajtourville) October 31, 2024

Krasner accused the initiative of being an unlawful lottery since it offers cash rewards for voting. The prosecutors claim that Elon Musk’s financial offers are in close proximity with the legal limits of contacting the voters and buying their votes, which can influence the fairness of election processes.

Still, the Tesla CEO’s lawyers argue that the case presents federal questions on freedom of speech and interferences with the elections which they think should be addressed in the federal court.

Giveaway Sparks Concerns Ahead of US Election

Opponents of Tesla CEO’s PAC argue that the giveaway is not fully transparent and could deceive people in some way. Krasner has also pointed out that the PAC has not spelled out how recipients are chosen or how the data they obtain is protected. He also offered examples of what he said is clear evidence that some of the recipients were linked to events related to Trump, which indicates that the process may not be entirely random.

The giveaway is only open to voters in seven swing states: Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin, and North Carolina.

Krasner’s office also cited a warning from the Department of Justice for the United States that apparently stated that the giveaway could be a violation of the federal laws prohibiting the payment in connection with the voter registration. Federal prosecutors have not formally acted against the initiative but the warning implies that it may face more legal issues.

PAC’s Financial Influence and Social Media Campaign Draw Attention

Musk’s PAC has committed substantial resources to support Donald Trump’s campaign, with the billionaire reportedly contributing close to $120 million to America PAC. The PAC has focused on mobilizing Trump supporters through door-to-door outreach and social media campaigns.

Elon Musk, an active supporter of Donald Trump, has promoted the former president on X, the social media platform he owns, further amplifying his influence on the election.

Trump, in response, has publicly stated that he would appoint Elon Musk to lead a government efficiency commission if he is re-elected. The Harris campaign, on the other hand, has reportedly coordinated volunteer efforts on a Discord server to distribute pro-Harris content on social media, especially on X. Musk responded by calling for an investigation into these activities, suggesting they may warrant closer scrutiny.