Donald Trump is in the fight for his political life. Elon Musk is trying to help him.
But Donald Trump and Elon Musk just received wild legal news at the worst time possible.
Elon Musk recently made an interesting announcement that he would be giving away $1 million every day to individuals who merely sign a petition and live in one of the presidential election swing states that includes Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, and North Carolina.
The petition simply states that the purpose is to get swing-state voters to sign their pledge in support of the First and Second Amendments. It says the goal is to have 1 million registered voters sign the petition, but only those who live in one of the listed swing states.
“The First and Second Amendments guarantee freedom of speech and the right to bear arms. By signing below, I am pledging my support for the First and Second Amendments,” the petition website says. The petition also notes that a referral of a registered voter to sign this pledge will net you $47.
“In appreciation for your support, you will receive $47 for each registered voter you refer that signs this petition. Payments are already being processed. Due to volume, all payments are expected to be issued on or before Nov. 30, 2024,” the petition adds.
This news immediately faced legal scrutiny from those on the Left. They cried foul saying that it’s election interference, arguing that he’s trying to buy votes with cash winnings. That would be illegal, but that’s not what he’s doing at all, actually.
Top lawyers went on Fox News and updated listeners on the situation, pointing out that Donald Trump and Elon Musk are not likely to face any legal issues here because it’s simply “a promotion of constitutional liberties” and isn’t actually requiring anyone to vote or vote a certain way to be eligible for a form of lottery ticket.
Of course, a Leftist Philadelphia District Attorney has tried to sue Donald Trump and Elon Musk, though. Their efforts may not be successful by the latest updates in this battle over the legality of the $1 million daily lottery.
Elon Musk’s $1 Million Voter Sweepstakes Likely Legal, Experts Say
Billionaire Elon Musk’s controversial $1 million daily giveaway to registered voters in key swing states is likely within legal bounds, according to former federal prosecutor Andy McCarthy. The sweepstakes, run by Musk’s America PAC, has come under scrutiny from Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, who filed a lawsuit against Musk on Monday.
McCarthy, speaking on Fox & Friends, explained that the legal argument against Musk may be difficult to uphold because the contest only requires participants to be registered voters, not to actually cast ballots. “They’re calling it a voting initiative but it’s really not. All he’s requiring is that people are registered to vote. So there’s no requirement to be in the contest that you vote. And, otherwise, it’s a promotion of constitutional liberties,” McCarthy stated.
The sweepstakes, announced by Musk on October 20, awards $1 million each day to a random signatory who lives in one of the top seven battleground states and signs a petition on the PAC’s website pledging support for free speech and gun rights. This initiative promptly caught the attention of the Biden Department of Justice, which warned America PAC that the sweepstakes might violate federal regulations prohibiting compensation for voter registration or voting in federal elections.
George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley weighed in on the legal battle, characterizing Krasner’s lawsuit as a “transparently political” move “to pull Musk off the campaign and into a Philadelphia courtroom.”
Turley elaborated on Musk’s defense, stating, “Musk’s argument and his company’s argument is look, it is not illegal to have a lottery to sign a petition in favor of the constitution, we only want registered voters to do that. If you are going to be competing in this lottery, you have to be participating in the political process.”
The controversy unfolds against the backdrop of a tight political race. According to RealClearPolling averages, former President Donald Trump currently holds narrow leads over Vice President Kamala Harris in five of the top seven swing states, underscoring the potential significance of Musk’s initiative in these crucial battlegrounds.
While all of the swing states are of interest to both campaigns, Donald Trump and his campaign have zeroed in on Pennsylvania as being the one to peel away and likely win him a second term in the White House.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
