Los Angeles: Elon Musk has been ordered to appear in court to address a lawsuit concerning $1 million in payments made by his political campaign group to voters in key battleground states during the US election.
Earlier this month, Musk’s campaign group, America PAC, began distributing these payments, which critics have labelled as an improper and possibly illegal attempt to increase support and voter turnout for former President Donald Trump, whom the 53-year-old founder of Tesla and SpaceX is backing.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Democrat, has filed a lawsuit to halt the America PAC sweepstakes, which is scheduled to continue until Election Day.
The sweepstakes is available to any registered voter in battleground states who agrees to sign a petition in support of the Constitution. However, Krasner contends that this initiative compels individuals to provide their personal information.
“In other words, America PAC and Musk are lulling Philadelphia citizens – and others in the Commonwealth [and other swing states in the upcoming election] – to give up their personal identifying information and make a political pledge in exchange for the chance to win $1 million, It is indisputably an unlawful lottery.” says the lawsuit.
Philadelphia Judge Angelo Foglietta ordered all parties – including Musk- to attend a hearing on the matter at 10am on 31st of October.
The judge wrote that, “It is further ordered that all parties must be present at the time of the hearing.”
Musk has pledged over $70 million to the political action committee to assist Trump and other Republican candidates in the upcoming November elections. The lawsuit alleges that America PAC has spent more than $133 million to support Republican candidates.
The committee has distributed millions to voters in seven key swing states that are expected to play a pivotal role in determining the election’s outcome.
The court hearing is scheduled for less than a week before the presidential election on November 5, with Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican Trump intensifying their campaigns in a race that experts consider too close to call.
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