Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has filed a lawsuit to stop Elon Musk’s PAC from including Pennsylvania in its cash giveaway.
The Elon Musk America PAC giveaway is limited to so-called swing states, which include Pennsylvania. It offers registered voters who sign his petition to support the First and Second Amendments a chance to win a $1 million prize.
Krasner issued a statement Monday morning announcing his office has filed suit against the giveaway.
“The Philadelphia District Attorney is charged with protecting the public from public nuisances and unfair trade practices, including illegal lotteries,” Krasner said in the statement. “The DA is also charged with protecting the public from interference with the integrity of elections.”
Krasner would not make himself available for comment beyond the statement: “The Philadelphia DA will litigate the factual allegations and legal arguments that underlie today’s filing on the record and in court.”
The DA added that while his lawsuit is a civil legal action, it “neither precludes nor requires potential future action under Pennsylvania criminal law.”
Musk has become a more vocal and financial backer of the Trump campaign. He has frequently touted himself as the “anti-Soros,” in contrast to billionaire George Soros, who has in the past given money to Krasner’s campaign for DA.
Musk’s daily drawing for $1 million is open to registered voters in swing states, including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
In an interview with NPR, UCLA election law professor Richard Hasen said that on its face, there is nothing illegal about a petition sweepstakes. A closer look, though, raises red flags for him.
“If you look at the conditions, you must be a registered voter,” Hasen said. “And so this is essentially a lottery that’s open only to people who register to vote. So it’s either an incentive for someone to vote or it’s a reward. And either way, it violates federal law.”
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