The legal battle over Elon Musk’s $1 million-a-day voter sweepstakes has moved to federal court in Pennsylvania, after a state judge allowed arguments from both sides in a hearing where Musk was notably absent. The District Attorney, Larry Krasner, filed a lawsuit accusing Musk of running a dubious lottery to boost Donald Trump’s presidential campaign through his political organization. The case has now been put on hold in state court pending a decision in federal court, where U.S. District Judge Gerald J. Pappert will preside. Krasner has filed a petition to move the case back to state court in Philadelphia where it was originally filed.
The sweepstakes, which offers $1 million prizes to registered voters in key battleground states, has raised concerns of federal election interference. Krasner’s legal team argued that the distribution of prizes seemed to be targeting states crucial to the outcome of the presidential election, such as Pennsylvania. Musk’s America PAC has been handing out $1 million checks to winners across several swing states, including Wisconsin, Nevada, Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, and Michigan. Despite legal challenges from Krasner, the sweepstakes continued to run daily, with Musk defending the payments as a combination of prize money and earnings for work as a spokesperson for the organization.
Election law experts have questioned the legality of the sweepstakes, raising concerns about potential violations of federal laws against paying individuals to vote. Krasner has not ruled out the possibility of pursuing criminal charges as he believes the activities of Musk’s America PAC are in violation of Pennsylvania’s lottery laws. The ongoing legal battle underscores the intensity of the 2024 Election, as both President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have made numerous visits to Pennsylvania to secure its 19 electoral votes. Musk, who also owns Tesla and X, has thrown his support behind Trump and is actively involved in get-out-the-vote efforts through his super PAC. He has committed over $70 million to support Trump and other Republican candidates in the upcoming election.
