Washington DC: Elon Musk’s political organization, America PAC, can continue its practice of awarding $1 million (£722,000) to voters in swing states ruled a Pennsylvania Judge.
The giveaway is scheduled to conclude on November 5th, with the final recipient already identified, according to a lawyer representing Musk.
In an unexpected revelation during a court hearing, the lawyer disclosed that the recipients of the funds were not selected randomly through a lottery, as previously thought, but rather chosen by the group itself.
Philadelphia District Attorney Lawrence Krasner had sued to stop what he called an “an illegal lottery” after Musk announced he would give the money to one voter in a swing state each day until Election Day.
Pennsylvania Judge Angelo Foglietta issued a ruling without immediate explanation, shortly after a court hearing concerning Elon Musk’s political group, America PAC.
According to lawyer Mr. Gober, the final recipient of the giveaway will be a voter from Michigan. Earlier, America PAC announced that a man named Joshua in Arizona received a daily prize on November 4th.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), America PAC stated that “Every day until Election Day, a person who signs will be selected to earn $1 million as a spokesperson for America PAC.”
Joshua of Phoenix, Arizona received $1M for signing our petition to support the Constitution.
Every day until Election Day, a person who signs will be selected to earn $1M as a spokesperson for America PAC.
SIGN: https://t.co/TMeyWUhbrH pic.twitter.com/gdqq6eTu24
— America (@america) November 4, 2024
However, when Musk initially announced the giveaway, many thought it would involve a random drawing of registered voters who signed a petition supporting the First and Second Amendments of the U.S. Constitution.
Musk had previously stated, “We are going to be awarding $1 million randomly to people who have signed the petition, every day, from now until the election.”
Following this announcement, the U.S. Justice Department expressed concerns that the initiative might violate election laws that prohibit payments for voter registration, leading to a lawsuit aimed at halting the program.
Musk has been actively campaigning for Republican candidate Donald Trump in swing states, particularly in Pennsylvania, where he is polling closely with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
During the hearing, prosecutors presented a video in which Musk mentioned that winners would be expected to serve as spokespeople for America PAC. Chris Young, the director of America PAC, clarified that recipients are selected based on shared values with the organization.
Those who receive funding are required to sign non-disclosure agreements that prevent them from publicly discussing the terms of their contracts. Notably, Musk did not attend the hearing.
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