October 21st 2024.
Elon Musk, the well-known founder of SpaceX and a billionaire, has recently made a bold pledge to give away $1 million every day until the US election. However, this decision has been met with criticism and concern from some, who see it as deeply troubling.
The lucky winner of the daily $1 million must be a registered voter in a key state and must have signed Mr. Musk's online petition. It is worth noting that the money does not come from Mr. Musk's personal funds, but rather from America PAC, a political action committee that he co-founded with Donald Trump.
In an announcement on his company X's platform, Mr. Musk shared a video of the first winner being selected at a town hall event in Pennsylvania on Saturday night. He explained, "We will be awarding $1 million randomly to people who have signed the petition. One of the challenges we're facing is getting the word out about this petition because the mainstream media refuses to cover it." He also added, "I thought, how can we spread the word? Well, I believe this news will spread like wildfire. So, starting tonight, we will be giving away $1 million every day until the election."
On Sunday, another lucky winner was chosen and given a check. The petition itself asks for support for the first and second amendments, which protect free speech and gun rights, and requires individuals to provide their contact information. In addition to the chance to win $1 million, the petition also offers $100 to every registered Pennsylvania voter who signs and an additional $100 for each person they refer who also signs.
However, to be eligible for any of the monetary rewards, signers must be registered in key battleground states such as Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, and North Carolina. Those who attended the town hall events on Saturday were also required to sign the petition to gain entry.
Mr. Musk's promise immediately sparked concern from experts in election law, who claim that it is illegal. According to federal law, anyone who offers or accepts payment for voter registration or voting could face a hefty fine of $10,000 or up to five years in prison. The law also covers anything of monetary value, including liquor or lottery chances.
It is worth noting that Mr. Musk has already donated over $75 million to America PAC. However, Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro, a supporter of Kamala Harris, has expressed his concerns about Mr. Musk's offer and has called for law enforcement to investigate the billionaire. In an interview with CNN, Derek Muller, an election law expert from Notre Dame Law School, stated, "When you limit prizes or giveaways to only registered voters or those who have voted, it raises concerns of bribery. By only offering the reward to registered voters, it appears as though you are essentially paying for voter registration." He also pointed out that most states consider it a crime to pay individuals to vote.
Furthermore, Rick Hasen, an election law expert from the University of California Los Angeles law school, wrote in a blog post that Mr. Musk's offer is "clearly illegal vote-buying." He also highlighted that the Justice Department's election crimes manual specifically mentions that offering "lottery chances" with the intention of inducing or rewarding certain actions, such as voting, is illegal.
Metro has reached out to America PAC for a comment on this matter.
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