Eleven former GOP officials and government attorneys have raised concerns over Elon Musk's recent announcement to give away $1 million daily to registered voters in battleground states. The officials are urging Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Pennsylvania attorney general to investigate the legality of Musk's sweepstakes.
Legal experts have pointed out that Musk's initiative could potentially violate laws against paying individuals to register to vote. The former officials, in a letter obtained by The Washington Post, emphasized the need for a review of the payments being made by the Elon Musk-founded America PAC to voters in Pennsylvania and other states.
The letter stated, 'We urge you to investigate whether America PAC’s payments are prohibited payments for voter registration. The payments, which are framed as rewards for signing a petition or referring voters, are primarily targeted at registered voters. The petition webpage includes links to voter registration websites for each state, alongside the payment offer. Additionally, the signing and referral payments are only available until the voter registration cutoff date.'
Elon Musk recently announced the first million-dollar winner at an event in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he handed a giant check to a Trump supporter. The second winner was announced during an event in Pittsburgh, with Musk emphasizing the importance of voting early.
The Department of Justice has acknowledged receiving the letter from the former officials but has refrained from providing further comments on the matter.