US judge declines to block Musk’s $1 million election giveaways
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk gestures as he steps on stage during a rally for former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York, October 27, 2024. Agence France-Presse
PHILADELPHIA — A Pennsylvania judge declined on Monday to halt billionaire Elon Musk’s $1 million giveaways to registered voters in US election battleground states.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Democrat, sued Musk and his pro-Trump political action committee, America PAC, last week, calling the $1 million awards “an illegal lottery scheme.”
Krasner had asked that the daily giveaways be shut down, but Common Pleas Court Judge Angelo Foglietta declined to do so after a daylong hearing on Monday featuring Musk’s lawyers and prosecutors.
READ: Elon Musk commits $70 million to boost Donald Trump
Foglietta did not immediately provide a reason for his decision, though no more giveaways were planned in Pennsylvania.
Article continues after this advertisementMusk did not attend Monday’s hearing.
Article continues after this advertisementThe Tesla and SpaceX CEO promised last month to give away $1 million daily until Election Day. According to the America PAC website, 16 people, including four in Pennsylvania, have received the $1 million awards so far.
The Justice Department warned Musk and his America PAC last month that the sweepstakes may violate federal law, which prohibits paying people to register to vote.
READ: Elon Musk PAC: $1 million sweepstakes winners are not chosen by chance
Musk, 53, who also owns X, formerly Twitter, has thrown his millions, time and considerable influence into backing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump since endorsing him in July.
Musk, the world’s richest man, has reportedly donated at least $118 million to his political action committee, an organization which collects funds for elections.
He has also appeared on stage with Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania and hosted a series of town halls on his own in the eastern state, seen as critical in Tuesday’s election.
Musk, who previously supported Barack Obama but has become increasingly conservative in recent years, peppers his 202 million followers on X daily with messages championing Trump and denigrating his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.
