Elon Musk's Controversial Voter Lottery: A Legal Twist or Political Strategy?
In a courtroom revelation, Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and the owner of X, admitted that the much-publicized daily drawing of one million dollars among voters registering in key states for Donald Trump is not a random lottery. Instead, this initiative operates through a political committee, America PAC, established by Musk and supported by prominent business figures to bolster the Republican candidate's presidential campaign.
This disclosure came to light during a session at the Philadelphia Common Pleas Court, presided over by Judge Angelo Foglietta. The hearing took place the day before a pivotal U.S. election, where voters would choose between incumbent Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. The court dismissed a lawsuit from the Philadelphia District Attorney, which challenged Musk's lottery system, allowing the program to continue under the defense that it is a form of compensation for designated spokespeople.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner argued that Musk’s million-dollar prizes amounted to an illegal lottery under Pennsylvania law, which mandates that only the state can conduct such drawings. Krasner sought to halt the lotteries, which were scheduled for the election period. Despite Musk's claims at a recent Trump rally that the prizes were to be assigned randomly, his attorney Chris Gober contended that there exists a distinction between random assignment and selection by chance, asserting that the recipients were chosen based on their qualifications to act as representatives for America PAC, thus receiving the funds as payment for their collaboration.
Interestingly, Gober revealed that the names of winners for the upcoming drawings had already been determined, specifically voters in Arizona and Michigan. Although it refrained from direct involvement, the Department of Justice voiced concerns that Musk's financial incentivization for voter registration could infringe federal laws against compensating individuals for registering to vote.
President Joe Biden also condemned Musk's initiative, branding it as entirely inappropriate, though he did not clarify whether it constitutes a legal tactic to influence voter turnout in crucial regions. Musk has increasingly become a pivotal player in Trump's campaign, evidenced by his attendance at multiple rallies and his significant financial backing of approximately 119 million euros through America PAC.
Should Trump emerge victorious in the elections on November 5, Musk is likely to receive a noteworthy position within the Trump administration aimed at significantly reducing public expenditures.
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