Federal Authorities Issue Caution to Elon Musk About His Proposed Election Raffle, Citing Legal Concerns
In a bold and unconventional move, Elon Musk, the tech magnate and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has launched a lottery aimed at encouraging registered voters in swing states to sign a petition supporting the First and Second Amendment. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) and other officials have raised concerns that the lottery may be illegal.
Musk's plan, announced during a campaign stop in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, promises to give away $1 million every day until the November 5 election to random registered voters in key states who sign the petition. The goal is to gather over a million, possibly even 2 million signatures from voters in battleground states.
However, the DOJ has issued a warning that the lottery may breach laws against paying people to vote. The federal code states that whoever pays or offers to pay or accepts payment for registration to vote or for voting shall be fined or imprisoned. The Justice Department's public integrity section has sent a letter to Musk's pro-Trump political action committee regarding the potential illegality of the lottery.
This is not the first time a lottery has been used to mobilize voters. In 1982, Hollywood promoter Edward Shaw offered a lottery to Californian voters, receiving a DOJ warning but avoiding charges. Election officials at the time stated that Shaw's lottery had a minimal effect on voter turnout.
The plan has drawn criticism from many commentators, who have raised concerns about its potential illegality. New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been particularly vocal, calling Musk's lottery plan a tactic to dangle money in front of struggling workers. She stated that Musk thinks dangling money in front of a working person is a "cute thing to do."
The DOJ is not the only body scrutinizing Musk's lottery. This week, former officials, including Republicans, demanded an investigation into the lottery plan. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has also issued an official warning to Musk's pro-Trump PAC regarding the legal compliance of the lottery to mobilize voters in key states.
Despite the controversy, the lottery has already seen several winners scoop the $1 million prize, most of whom had already voted. It remains to be seen how the legal proceedings will unfold and whether Musk's lottery will continue to operate as planned.
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