Business magnate and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, Elon Musk, has initiated a controversial $1 million lottery for registered voters in swing states who sign his super PAC’s petition. The petition, created by Musk’s America PAC, aims to register conservative voters in swing states and supports free speech and gun rights. While the lottery is technically legal since it is contingent on signing a petition and not on registering to vote, experts believe it raises legal concerns.
Despite concerns raised by legal experts, Musk and America PAC have continued to increase the amount of money promised in the lottery. The lottery has faced scrutiny for potentially violating federal election laws that prohibit paying individuals to register to vote. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro called the lottery “deeply concerning” and hinted at possible law enforcement investigations.
However, experts believe that law enforcement agencies are unlikely to intervene before the election. The deadline for voter registration in Pennsylvania and Michigan is today, but the lottery will continue to name $1 million prize winners until the election. Critics view the lottery as a data mining operation to build an email list for campaign purposes and mobilization efforts. Despite legal ambiguities, Musk continues to push ahead with the controversial initiative as the stakes of the upcoming presidential election remain high for him.
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