OAN Staff Blake Wolf
4:24 PM – Monday, November 4, 2024
A Pennsylvania judge ruled in favor of allowing Elon Musk’s political action committee to continue giving out $1 million per day to registered swing state voters who signed the petition, pledging to support free speech and gun rights.
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District Attorney Larry Krasner (D-Pa.) sued to block the contest in Philadelphia on October 28th, arguing that Musk’s process of handing out money was a scam, “designed to actually influence a national election.”
“This was all a political marketing masquerading as a lottery,” Krasner continued. “That’s what it is. A grift.”
Judge Angelo Foglietta ruled that the contest was not an “illegal lottery,” as America PAC lawyers successfully argued that the funds were given to the best spokespeople within the MAGA movement.
“The $1 million recipients are not chosen by chance,” stated America PAC attorney Chris Gober. “We know exactly who will be announced as the $1 million recipient today and tomorrow.”
“There is no prize to be won, instead recipients must fulfill contractual obligations to serve as a spokesperson for the PAC,” Gober added during the hearing.
Krasner responded by showcasing Musk at an October Trump rally telling rally-goers that the money would be “randomly” awarded, rather than deliberately picked.
“That doesn’t sound like a spokesperson contract,” Krasner added.
Musk has already doled out $16 million since the giveaway began on October 19th, with the final winner to be announced on Election Day.
The Pennsylvania ruling was a huge win for the Trump campaign in a critical swing state carrying 19 electoral votes, which certainly has the potential to decide the outcome of the election.
Musk’s giveaway falls under a gray area under election law which prohibits paying individuals to register to vote, however, in order to get the funds, voters only have to sign the petition, rather than actually register to vote.
The U.S. Department of Justice previously warned Musk’s PAC that the scheme could potentially violate federal law, which federal prosecutors have yet to take any action.
America PAC lawyers also argued that the two remaining winners will be from individuals living in Arizona and Michigan, which would mean the Pennsylvania lawsuit wouldn’t have an affect on the ability to continue to giveaway in other states.
“The only people protected by Pennsylvania law are in Pennsylvania,” stated Richard Briffault, a Columbia Law School professor.
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