Elon Musk faces upto 5 years in prison for election optics, DoJ warns million dollar sweepstakes illegal
Elon Musk received a letter from Department of Justice to sound a warning against the his daily million dollar sweepstakes to endorse voting
Elon Musk’s latest election “generosity” campaign—pledging to give $1 million a day to voters willing to sign a petition in support of Donald Trump—is not legal, as he’d hoped.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) seems to think Musk’s flashy giveaway could be bending, if not breaking, some federal laws.
The DOJ’s election crimes head, Robert Heberle, recently sent Musk a strongly worded letter pointing out that offering cash incentives to influence voters isn’t just frowned upon; it’s illegal.
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According to the 24sight newsletter, the DOJ’s letter politely but firmly reminded Musk of the potential consequences for violating U.S. voting laws. It reportedly “did not specify any immediate legal action” but “did spell out the penalties for breaking US voting laws, including possible imprisonment of up to five years.”
What's Elon Musk's $1mn election campaign
On Musk’s “America PAC” website, hopeful $1 million recipients can sign a petition declaring their support for the First and Second Amendments. And here’s the kicker—it’s only open to registered voters in key swing states like Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Wisconsin. The site states that the goal is to get one million voters from these states to sign, all by November 5.
As of now, a few winners have already pocketed their prizes, including “Andy from Holly Springs, NC,” who Musk congratulated on Wednesday.
Neither Musk, his America PAC, nor their lawyer has commented on the DOJ’s warning.
Not everyone’s amused by Musk’s latest electoral experiment. Speaking at a rally in Wisconsin, Tim Walz had some choice words: “That guy is literally the richest man in the world, and he’s spending millions to help Trump buy an election.” It’s safe to say Walz doesn’t share Musk’s sense of civic-minded “generosity.”
So, will Musk’s daily million-dollar payouts continue without a hitch? That remains to be seen—but his attempt at playing election benefactor may not be the slam dunk he envisioned.
