Philadelphia district attorney sues Elon Musk and his PAC over $1 million giveaway

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner sued Elon Musk and his political action committee Monday to stop them giving away $1 million every day to a registered voter of the changing state who signs their petition.

“America PAC and Musk are encouraging citizens of Philadelphia — and the rest of the Commonwealth (and other swing states in upcoming elections) — to give up their personally identifiable information and make a political pledge in exchange for a chance to win $1 million,” the statement said. to legal complaint.

“The America PAC and Musk sweepstakes is clearly not a legitimate sweepstakes,” the lawsuit states.

According to the complaint, the lottery violates a Pennsylvania law that requires all lotteries in the state to be regulated by the state. It also allegedly violates Pennsylvania consumer protection laws because Musk and his American PAC “failed to publish the full set of lottery rules or show how they protect the privacy of participants’ personal information.”

Musk and the PAC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Are the winners not random?

Signers of the petition pledge to uphold the First and Second Amendments, which cover the constitutional rights of speech, religion, and arms.

The lawsuit accuses Musk of falsely claiming that the winner was randomly selected, stating that “several of the winners that were selected were individuals who appeared at Trump rallies in Pennsylvania.”

Musk publicly supports former President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate.

Musk and the PAC also promise to pay $100 to registered voters who sign the petition, but the district attorney’s office believes they did not make those payments, according to the lawsuit.

Warning of the Ministry of Justice

The US Department of Justice has already done this sent a warning letter to the PACsaying the giveaway could violate federal election law, reports said Wednesday Report by CNN.

Federal law prohibits paying people to register to vote, and some legal experts say the giveaway could violate that law because you must be registered to sign the petition.

Musk didn’t seem fazed by the warning last week. Although the PAC did not announce a winner Wednesday, it announced the two winners on Thursday.

Krasner is asking the Philadelphia District Court for an injunction that would prohibit Musk and his PAC from continuing to engage in “any dishonest or deceptive acts or practices in connection with their lottery.”