Elon Musk at a campaign event with former president Donald Trump in Butler, Pa., on Oct. 5. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, is making headlines with a controversial new move. On Saturday, October 20, 2024, Musk announced that his super PAC, America PAC, will hand out $1 million daily through a lottery. The lottery is part of his voter recruitment drive aimed at swing states for the upcoming 2024 presidential election. The announcement, made on Musk’s social media platform X, has raised concerns among legal experts and critics about its legality and fairness.
Musk’s lottery is exclusively for registered voters in key swing states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, Georgia, Arizona, and a few others. To enter the lottery, voters must sign a petition supporting the U.S. Constitution, specifically the rights to free speech and to bear arms. Each person who signs up gets the chance to win the $1 million daily prize until November 5, 2024, just a day before the election.
Musk has been openly supporting Donald Trump’s campaign for re-election. He created America PAC to focus on swing states, targeting undecided voters. This lottery initiative is the latest in a series of bold moves to influence the vote in Trump’s favor. Musk explained his motives by saying he wanted to protect Americans’ rights and freedoms, and he believed that Trump was the best candidate to do that.
However, many experts have expressed concerns about Musk’s actions. Legal analysts pointed out that offering money tied to voter registration might violate federal election laws. Federal laws prohibit offering anything of value in exchange for registering to vote, and Musk’s lottery could be seen as crossing that line. Rick Hasen, a professor and election law expert, stated that the lottery appears to be illegal. He pointed to a federal law that prevents offering incentives to influence voting or registration. According to this law, individuals or organizations offering such incentives could face serious legal consequences, including fines or imprisonment.
Musk, however, seems unfazed by the legal questions. His super PAC continues to run the lottery and has already awarded the first $1 million prize. On Saturday, John Dreher, the first lottery winner, was invited to a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he was given a check by Musk himself. Dreher expressed his admiration for Musk and encouraged others to vote early, warning that there could be complications that might prevent them from voting on Election Day.
Musk’s super PAC has been heavily involved in Trump’s campaign. America PAC has been pouring millions into voter recruitment efforts, and this lottery is only one part of its strategy. The PAC has also organized massive door-to-door campaigns in swing states and is spending large sums on advertisements encouraging people to support Trump. Reports suggest that Musk has personally donated over $75 million to the super PAC.
Critics are concerned about the growing influence of billionaires like Musk on elections. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, raised concerns during a recent interview. He suggested that law enforcement might need to investigate Musk’s financial involvement in the election. Shapiro acknowledged Musk’s right to express his views and support Trump, but he argued that using such large amounts of money in political campaigns raises serious questions. Shapiro said that when billionaires like Musk start offering cash incentives in political campaigns, it distorts the democratic process and undermines the fairness of elections.
Legal experts echo Shapiro’s concerns. Brett Kappel, a well-known campaign finance attorney, warned that Musk’s actions might be in violation of federal election laws. Kappel pointed out that offering money in exchange for signing a petition or registering to vote could be viewed as an unlawful bribe under current laws. Even if Musk’s actions are not explicitly illegal, they raise ethical questions about the role of money in politics and whether billionaires should be able to use their wealth to influence elections so directly.
Despite the criticism, Musk has shown no signs of backing down. He continues to promote the lottery and urges people in swing states to sign up. For Musk, this is part of a larger mission to promote what he calls “true American values.” He believes that by backing Trump and encouraging more people to vote, he is doing what’s right for the future of the country.
The coming weeks will show how this strategy plays out. Will more swing-state voters be swayed by Musk’s promises of million-dollar prizes, or will the controversy around his actions lead to legal battles? The story is far from over, and as Election Day approaches, more scrutiny will likely fall on Musk, his super PAC, and the impact of money on politics. For now, however, Musk is pressing forward, confident that his efforts will help Trump secure a second term in the White House.
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