Elon Musk’s America PAC recently awarded $1 million to a voter in Michigan|TED Conference|CC BY NC 2.0
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk and his America PAC, alleging that the $1 million sweepstakes constituted an “illegal lottery scheme.”
Earlier this month, the billionaire’s pro-Trump super PAC began offering a daily million-dollar prize to registered voters in swing states who sign a petition supporting free speech and the right to bear arms.
According to the suit, America PAC and Musk are indisputably violating PA’s statutory prohibitions against illegal lotteries and deceiving consumers. The state must regulate lotteries in Philadelphia. Krasner argues the campaign improperly exchanges cash prizes for voter data and political pledges.
The DA wants Musk to stop influencing voters in a critical battleground state.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) expressed concerns last week, warning Musk’s super PAC that incentivizing voter registration with cash could breach federal election laws. President Joe Biden called the initiative “totally inappropriate.”
A hearing is set for Friday morning.
Previous investigations of America PAC
The lawsuit follows an investigation of America PAC by officials in North Carolina and Michigan earlier this year after it was found collecting swing-state voters’ contact details under misleading pretenses of voter registration assistance.