Lawyers representing Elon Musk argued in court on Monday that the $1 million giveaway to voters is not a lottery, contending that the recipients are not chosen by chance. The defense team emphasized that the 'prize' is actually compensation for serving as a spokesperson for Musk's pro-Trump super PAC, America PAC.
Chris Gober, Musk's lawyer, clarified that the winners are selected based on their suitability to represent the PAC, and the $1 million serves as payment for their work rather than a traditional prize to be won randomly.
Despite Musk's initial announcement that the $1 million would be awarded randomly to individuals who signed the petition in support of the Constitution, the defense team argued that there is a distinction between random selection and chance-based lottery systems.
The legal dispute centers around whether the giveaway constitutes an unlawful lottery that violates state gaming laws. The Philadelphia district attorney, Larry Summers, raised concerns that the sweepstakes winners were not being chosen at random, which Musk's super PAC has since addressed by framing the selection process as a payment for spokesperson services.
The judge is currently deliberating on whether to halt the sweepstakes in response to the district attorney's claims. The case has attracted significant legal scrutiny since its inception, with both sides presenting contrasting arguments regarding the nature of the $1 million giveaway.
