tech billionaire Elon Musk gave a check for $1 million to an audience member at a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he has been going after Trump, on Saturday. And he said he will continue giving that prize to one random voter per day until the Nov. 5 presidential election. The move could well violate US election law.
Only people who have signed a request of Musk's America PAC are eligible for the sweepstakes-style offer. And only registered voters can sign the petition. Under its terms, Musk will donate $1 million today to someone in Pittsburgh, but will later expand to anyone living in swing states like Georgia, Nevada or Arizona.
It is against federal law to force anyone to vote or register to vote, and Musk's $1 million prizes are “clearly illegal,” writes UCLA political science professor Rick Hasen. in his Blog about Electoral Law. he quotes 52 USC 10307(c)which states that anyone who “pays or offers to pay or accepts payment for either registering to vote or voting” can potentially face fines of $10,000 or five years in prison. There are also other legally dubious aspects of the pledge, including bonuses for signers and for getting others to sign it.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said in Meet the press this morning that the offer is “deeply worrying.” He stopped short of calling it illegal and said he is no longer the state's Attorney General, but said the scheme is “something authorities can look into.”
bunnies said NBC News that the fact that the petition is only open to registered voters may be what puts it over the top. Federal authorities can prosecute Musk or warn him to stop the plan, he said. The US Department of Justice I would have to accuse him of violating the law in federal court; A federal agency or an individual could also file a civil lawsuit.
Any of these things would take time. Musk could trust that Trump, who has allies forgiven and is unlikely to allow the Justice Department to punish a major donor, win, and make the legal issues irrelevant. Even if the former president does not win, Musk already has a history of flouting regulation with few consequences in the United States. But conversely, it's an open question to what extent Musk's draw will help Trump and whether it can offset the candidate's rumored weaknesses. traditional campaign running game.
