Philadelphia DA sues Elon Musk and his super PAC over $1M sweepstakes
Elon Musk speaks at a town hall at the Roxain Theater on October 20
By Marshall Cohen, CNN
(CNN) — Philadelphia’s district attorney asked a state judge on Monday to shut down tech billionaire Elon Musk’s controversial $1 million giveaway to registered voters, calling it an “illegal lottery scheme.”
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Democrat, filed the civil lawsuit against Musk and his pro-Trump group, America PAC.
“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,” the lawsuit alleges. “That is a lottery. And it is indisputably an unlawful lottery.”
A spokesperson for Musk’s super PAC did not comment on the lawsuit and instead highlighted the group’s latest $1 million winner, announced Monday – a registered voter from Hastings, Michigan.
In the lawsuit, Krasner’s office argues that Pennsylvania law requires all lotteries to be “operated and administered by the state” – and that Musk’s daily $1 million giveaway must be halted because it’s operating outside of those legal guardrails.
“Though Musk says that a winner’s selection is ‘random,’ that appears false because multiple winners that have been selected are individuals who have shown up at Trump rallies in Pennsylvania,” the lawsuit says, arguing that the lottery rules are “deceptive.”
The case is based on Pennsylvania’s lottery and consumer protection laws. Krasner said his lawsuit was not about state and federal laws that prohibit vote-buying.
The US Justice Department has also warned Musk’s super PAC that his giveaway might violate federal laws that criminalize offering cash for voter registration.
This story has been updated with additional details.
The-CNN-Wire
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