The U.S. Department of Justice has issued a warning to Elon Musk’s political action committee, America PAC, regarding a $1 million giveaway aimed at registered voters in key swing states.
The sweepstakes, which Musk has promoted as part of an effort to boost voter registration, is raising concerns over its legality.
Musk, a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump, has been spending millions to back Trump’s presidential campaign.
The $1 million prize, advertised by his PAC, is intended to encourage voter participation in highly contested states ahead of the 2024 election.
However, election law experts and state officials have questioned whether this initiative violates federal laws that prohibit financial incentives for voter registration, CNN reports.
While the giveaway is tied to signing a petition in support of First and Second Amendment rights, eligibility requires participants to be registered voters in specific states.
Musk’s Political Action Committee (PAC) has received a formal warning letter from the Justice Department’s public integrity section, which oversees election-related offenses, according to insiders familiar with the situation.
This development has ignited a fierce debate about election laws and campaign strategies, with experts predicting intensified scrutiny as the investigation unfolds.
Critics argue that these actions may violate federal election laws, specifically the prohibition on vote-buying.
CNN reports that the Justice Department declined to comment, adding that it also reached out for comments from Elon Musk, various email addresses listed on the super PAC’s website, the group’s treasurer, and Musk’s press team at the X platform.
At a Trump campaign event in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Musk announced the sweepstakes, stating, “We aim to get over a million, maybe even 2 million voters in battleground states to sign the petition in support of the First and Second Amendments. We will award $1 million randomly to petition signers every day from now until the election.”
Following Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s comments on Sunday, where he expressed that the giveaway was “deeply concerning” and warranted legal scrutiny, Musk responded on X, stating it was “concerning that he would say such a thing.”
In response to claims that Musk was “paying to register Republicans,” he clarified that winners “can be from any or no political party and you don’t even have to vote,” though he did not address the potential legal issues regarding the lottery being limited to registered voters.
Meanwhile, Musk’s America PAC has shifted its messaging strategy for the $1 million sweepstakes, now framing it as payment for a job.
On social media, they claim winners will be chosen as spokespersons for America PAC and have posted testimonial videos showcasing pro-Trump content from past winners.
However, experts in election law point out that the official entry terms on the America PAC website remain unchanged, stipulating that only those who sign the petition can win the prize – and only if they’re registered voters in specific states like Arizona, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
