Elon Musk’s $1 million voter giveaways will proceed. On Monday, a Philadelphia judge denied District Attorney Larry Krasner’s emergency petition to halt the payouts. Krasner claimed Musk’s America PAC was operating an illegal lottery, but the court found no grounds for an immediate injunction.
How the $1M Voter Giveaways Work
The giveaways, which have already disbursed $16 million to voters since October 19, target signatories of a petition backing freedom of speech and the right to bear arms. Participants must be registered voters in one of seven crucial swing states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Despite appearing random, Musk’s attorney Chris Gober clarified in court that recipients are selected intentionally. “The $1 million recipients are not chosen by chance. We know exactly who will be announced as the $1 million recipient today and tomorrow,” Gober said, as reported by the Associated Press.
The judge, Angelo Foglietta, has yet to release his full reasoning but promised a detailed explanation soon. At the hearing, Chris Young, head of Musk’s America PAC, testified that winners are vetted to ensure their alignment with the PAC’s values. Selected recipients become paid spokespeople, supporting Musk’s political agenda, including his endorsement of Donald Trump.
DA Accuses Musk’s PAC of Deception
Krasner criticized the program, labeling it a “grift” and claiming it deceives voters under the guise of a lottery. “This was all political marketing masquerading as a lottery,” Krasner argued, alleging that participants’ information could be exploited for extensive, undisclosed purposes. Musk’s team countered, asserting that stopping the payouts would infringe on the recipients’ “core political speech.”
The giveaways, slated to continue until Election Day, include prizes for voters in Arizona and Michigan. Meanwhile, concerns over legality remain. The Harris-Biden Justice Department reportedly warned Musk last month about potential violations. Nevertheless, the Tesla and X CEO plans to announce the final prize recipient as polls close on Election Day.
