Elon Musk gives away a million dollars (each) to vote for Trump

At a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, tech billionaire Elon Musk surprised those in attendance by donating a million-dollar check to an audience member. Musk announced that he intends to continue offering this prize to one randomly chosen voter every day until the US presidential election on November 5. However, this initiative may violate US election law. Only those who have signed a petition promoted by Musk’s America PAC can participate in this sweepstakes, which is reserved exclusively for registered voters. Initially, the award will be given to a Pittsburgh resident, with plans to expand the initiative to citizens of key states such as Georgia, Nevada and Arizona.

PACs are organizations that raise money from individuals, businesses, or other groups to support or oppose political candidates, parties, or legislative initiatives. There are two main types of PACs: traditional PACs, which have limits on contributions, and Super PACs, which can raise and spend unlimited amounts for or against candidates but cannot coordinate directly with candidates’ campaigns. The America PAC associated with Elon Musk is an organization dedicated to promoting the re-election of Donald Trump to the White House.

According to Rick Hasen, a political science professor at the University of California, the prize money offered by Musk could break US federal election law. In fact, Hasen cites code 52, which establishes fines of up to $10,000 or prison terms of up to five years for anyone who offers or accepts a payment in exchange for registering or participating in the vote. In addition to the millionaire reward, Musk’s petition provides incentives for those who sign and for those who convince others to sign, which adds further controversial legal aspects. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro expressed concern about the initiative during an interview on “Meet the Press,” though he did not call it outright illegal. Although he is no longer the state’s attorney general, Shapiro said law enforcement intervention may be appropriate.

According to Hasen, the fact that the contest is reserved for registered voters could represent a further aggravating factor. Federal authorities could decide to prosecute Musk criminally or invite him to stop the initiative. Any legal action would take time, however, and Musk could be confident that a victory for Donald Trump, known for pardoning supporters in the past, could negate the potential legal consequences.