A lawyer representing Elon Musk's political action committee defended the controversial $1 million-a-day voter sweepstakes during a hearing in Philadelphia. The lawyer argued that the recipients of the cash prizes are not chosen randomly but are selected to serve as 'spokespeople' for the group. The recipients for Monday and Tuesday were revealed to be from Arizona and Michigan, respectively, with no impact on the Pennsylvania election.
The lawyer emphasized that the winners are carefully chosen based on their personal stories and are required to sign a contract with America PAC, the political organization funded by Musk. The attorney stated that the selection process is not left to chance, and the recipients are predetermined.
Elon Musk, who has pledged over $70 million to the super PAC to support Republican candidates, did not attend the hearing held on the eve of the presidential election. The District Attorney of Philadelphia, Larry Krasner, labeled the voter sweepstakes as a scam and urged the judge to halt the operation, describing it as a political marketing ploy disguised as a lottery.
Despite the criticism, Musk's legal team confirmed that the sweepstakes would not be extended beyond Tuesday. The first winners were announced in Pennsylvania just before the state's voter registration deadline, followed by recipients from several swing states. The PAC assured that the prize money would be distributed by November 30.
Over a million individuals from seven states registered for the sweepstakes by endorsing the right to free speech and bear arms, as outlined in the U.S. Constitution. Concerns were raised about the potential misuse of participants' data by the PAC post-election, with Krasner alleging that registrants were deceived into providing their information.
The judge presiding over the case at Philadelphia City Hall rejected attempts to move the lawsuit to federal court. Krasner hinted at the possibility of pursuing criminal charges for violating Pennsylvania's lottery laws and mentioned the potential for seeking civil damages on behalf of Pennsylvania registrants.
Pennsylvania, a crucial battleground state with 19 electoral votes, has been a focal point for both President Trump and Vice President Harris in the final stages of the campaign. Krasner, a Tesla driver, highlighted Musk's central role in America PAC and raised concerns about the transparency of the sweepstakes process.
