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Pennsylvania Judge Greenlights Elon Musk’s $1 Million Voter Giveaway

Written by Jerry Alomatu on November 5, 2024

News Views: 295

A Pennsylvania judge ruled Monday that Elon Musk’s $1 million-per-day voter giveaway can continue in key swing states. The decision followed an intense court session in which a Musk aide disclosed that winners had been chosen selectively, counter to Musk’s previous claims of random selection.

With Election Day only a day away, Judge Angelo Foglietta’s ruling dismissed Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner’s petition to halt the giveaway. Krasner argued that Musk’s America PAC was running an “illegal lottery” with ambiguous rules. However, the judge issued a brief order allowing the giveaway to proceed, reserving a full explanation for later.

Since October 19, Musk’s America PAC has awarded $16 million to registered voters across seven battleground states — including Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Michigan — who signed a petition supporting free speech and gun rights. With the final recipient from Michigan to be announced on Election Day, the PAC’s activities aim to boost turnout for Donald Trump in his close race against Vice President Kamala Harris.

During the hearing, America PAC’s director, Chris Young, testified that winners were selected based on alignment with the PAC’s pro-Trump platform, contrary to Musk’s public statements about random selection. Krasner’s October 28 lawsuit described the contest as a covert lottery and suggested potential financial penalties for violations of state law.

Musk’s attorney, Andy Taylor, countered the lawsuit, arguing that Krasner sought to infringe on Pennsylvanians’ free speech rights. Taylor claimed the giveaway petition supported constitutional rights, including free speech and the right to bear arms.

Musk, a vocal Trump advocate since early 2024, has heavily promoted Trump on his social media platform, X, and reportedly contributed nearly $120 million to America PAC for voter engagement in swing states.