The top prosecutor in Philadelphia has initiated legal action to halt Elon Musk and his political action committee, which supports former President Trump, from continuing their daily $1 million giveaways aimed at swing state voters. This move is described by the prosecutor as an “illegal lottery” intended to influence the outcome of a presidential election.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Democrat, filed the lawsuit in civil court. The action argues that all lotteries in Pennsylvania must be “operated and administered by the state,” and contends that Musk’s daily giveaways violate this law.
The lawsuit alleges that both Musk and his Trump-supporting committee, America PAC, are misleading citizens of Philadelphia and the broader Commonwealth by encouraging them to surrender personal identifying information and make a political pledge for a chance to win the daily prize, which the lawsuit defines as an unlawful lottery.
Musk has promoted these $1 million giveaways as a method to increase voter registration in seven major swing states, asserting that winners are chosen at “random.” However, the district attorney’s office disputes this claim, stating that several winners have attended Trump rallies in Pennsylvania, indicating the selection may not be genuinely random.
The lawsuit further accuses Musk and his PAC of breaching consumer protection laws through “deceptive” and “misleading” statements about the contest’s nature.
Krasner has requested a preliminary injunction to stop Musk’s giveaways, with a hearing scheduled for Friday morning in Philadelphia. Until a decision is reached, Musk may continue with the sweepstakes.
This legal development emerges amidst increasing scrutiny of Musk, especially following a letter from the Justice Department last week. The letter warned that the giveaway scheme might breach federal election laws, which prohibit compensating voters to register or vote.
Requests for comments from the Justice Department and the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office received no immediate response.