Elon Musk's Monetary Rewards for Voters Remain Permissible, Decides Pennsylvania Judicial Body
Elon Musk's Monetary Rewards for Voters Remain Permissible, Decides Pennsylvania Judicial Body
Elon Musk is granted permission to proceed with giving away a million dollars daily in a supposed "contest" that doesn't abide by contest regulations, as per a ruling from a Pennsylvania judge on Monday. This case was initiated by Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, who claimed the pro-Trump giveaway breached Pennsylvania election laws and electoral regulations. The judge disclosed no reasoning behind his decision, as reported by the Associated Press. While this decision holds little actual significance, given that Election Day is imminent, it raises concerns about the potential actions billionaires might undertake in future elections.
America PAC, funded with over $120 million of Musk's personal funds, initiated the financial rewards starting October 19. The PAC promised to randomly distribute a million dollars to individuals who met three prerequisites: they were registered voters, resided in a pivotal state, and endorsed the First and Second Amendments. Musk stated that he would be presenting a million dollars at random to registered petition supporters on a daily basis until Election Day.
Most people perceived this as an attempt to engage and motivate voters for Donald Trump in crucial regions before November 5's presidential election, essentially paying them for their votes. However, Musk, rumored to head a new "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) should Trump win, vehemently defended the legitimacy of the initiative. Pennsylvania Judge Angelo Foglietta appears to concur with Musk's stance.
On Monday, Musk's lawyer Chris Gober argued in court that the million-dollar grants were, in fact, wages rather than private lottery gains, the latter being unlawful in Pennsylvania.
Gober stated in court, "The million-dollar recipients are not chosen randomly." He further emphasized, "We know exactly who will be announced as the million-dollar recipient today and tomorrow."
This, however, appears to be a standard deception, as individuals likely signed up assuming Musk's cash rewards functioned like any other contest, which operates on a random basis.
In other states, winners for this initiative have been declared in Wisconsin, Nevada, Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, and Michigan. Yet, no state authorities in these states have initiated legal action against Musk or his PAC. The U.S. Department of Justice sent America PAC a letter warning them of potential law violations but has yet to instigate any legal proceedings against Musk or his PAC.
Monday's ruling marks just another courtroom victory for Musk, who seems to be invincible in court. Experts have repeatedly cautioned that if Musk is allowed to financially reward votes (as Musk maintains he isn't), it could establish a dangerous precedent for upcoming elections. With the current state of political campaign methods, what's to prevent any wealthy individual from distributing substantial funds with plausible deniability about their intent? Of late, our nation appears to be a farce in the post-Trump era.
Musk did not respond to an email request for comment on Monday evening. Gizmodo will update this post if we receive a reply.
The decision by Judge Angelo Foglietta raises questions about the role of billionaires in influencing future elections through technology and tech-related initiatives. Despite the ongoing controversy, Elon Musk continues to explore the use of tech in political campaigns, potentially setting a future trend in election tactics.