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Elon Musk’s $1 Million Giveaway Raises Legal Concerns
Elon Musk, the influential CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, as well as the owner of X, is heavily backing former president Donald Trump‘s candidacy for the upcoming election. He has already invested over $70 million into supporting Trump. Recently, Musk announced an additional initiative to incentivize voter participation by offering $1 million to those who sign a petition associated with his political action committee (PAC) advocating for constitutional rights.
The announcement has generated significant concern among election specialists, who argue that tying a cash incentive to a petition-signing process—especially one that requires individuals to be registered voters—might breach electoral laws.
Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, who previously served as the state’s attorney general, voiced his worries about Musk’s fundraising tactics during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” He stated, “I think there are real questions with how he is spending money in this race, how the dark money is flowing, not just into Pennsylvania, but apparently now into the pockets of Pennsylvanians. That is deeply concerning.”
The Details of Musk’s Proposal
Musk has committed to distributing $1 million daily to individuals signing his PAC’s petition in support of the First Amendment and the Second Amendment. He recently distributed a check during a public event in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to a voter named John Dreher. Another check was given out shortly thereafter.
Through Musk’s America PAC, there is an ongoing effort to galvanize supporters in Pennsylvania, a critical swing state for the elections. This initiative aims to attract voters to support Trump, who Musk endorses enthusiastically. Additionally, the PAC has previously offered monetary rewards to citizens for encouraging others to register and sign the petition, including $47 and subsequently $100.
During a campaign event in Pennsylvania, Trump commented on Musk’s initiative but noted that he had not closely followed it. He acknowledged his friendship with Musk and praised him as beneficial for the country.
Legal Experts Weigh In
Concerns regarding the legality of Musk’s giveaway are echoed by various experts in campaign finance law. Brendan Fischer, a legal authority in the area, indicated that the stipulation requiring petition signers to be registered voters may cross a legal threshold. “The conditioning of payments based on voter registration arguably violates the law,” Fischer noted in an email.
Rick Hasen, a political science professor at UCLA Law School, highlighted specific legal statutes that forbid monetary compensation for voter registration or voting itself. He remarked, “If all he was doing was paying people to sign the petition, that might be a waste of money. But there’s nothing illegal about it. The problem is that the only people eligible to participate in this giveaway are the people who are registered to vote. And that makes it illegal.”
Michael Kang, a professor at Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law, emphasized that the proximity of this initiative to the election heightens concerns about its intent, suggesting that it could be seen as an attempt to incentivize voter registration.
“It’s not quite the same as paying someone to vote, but you’re getting close enough that we worry about its legality,” he stated.
Inquiries have been made to the PAC regarding this initiative, as well as requests for comments from the Justice Department, but responses have not yet been received.
Traditionally, collaboration between candidates and super PACs has been restricted; however, a recent ruling from the Federal Election Commission has begun allowing such organizations to partner in certain circumstances, particularly in efforts to encourage voter turnout.
Source
abcnews.go.com