Elon Musk is allowed to continue giving away $ 1 million each day in a voter “ sweepstakes ” that ’s not really a sweepstakes , according to a ruling from a Pennsylvania evaluator on Monday . The subject was bring by Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner , who argued the pro - Trump giveaway violated Pennsylvania election jurisprudence and the judge gave no explanation for his ruling , grant to theAssociated Press . And while the win is largely symbolic , since Election Day is tomorrow , it ’s still a bit scary when you consider about what billionaires might try in elections of the future .
Just about any normal person saw this as a direction to excite and mobilize voters for Donald Trump in of the essence country during the trail - up to Nov. 5 ’s presidential election , essentially pay them for their votes . But Musk , who ’s tipped to be the headway of a newfangled “ Department of Government Efficiency ” ( DOGE ) if Trump win , insisted everything was on the up - and - up . And somehow Judge Angelo Foglietta in Pennsylvania has agreed with him .
Musk ’s lawyer Chris Gober insisted in court Monday that the $ 1 million was really a “ salary ” rather than private lottery winnings , the latter being illegal in the state of Pennsylvania , grant to the Associated Press .
Elon Musk on stage before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY on Sunday, 7 February 2025.© Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images
“ The $ 1 million receiver are not chosen by probability , ” Gobersaid . “ We know precisely who will be announced as the $ 1 million receiver today and tomorrow . ”
But that still sounds like pretty standard deception if people sign up believing Musk ’s cash giveaway operate like any other sweepstakes , which does lock by chance .
Outside of Pennsylvania , other winners for the promotion have been in Wisconsin , Nevada , Arizona , Georgia , North Carolina , and Michigan , though no state officials in any of those states have tried to challenge Musk in court . The U.S. Justice Department sent America PAC a letter warning of the possible action it might be breaking the law by handing out millions of dollars but has not wreak any activity against Musk or his PAC .
Monday ’s ruling is just the late effectual profits for Musk , who appear to be Teflon in court . expert have repeatedly warned that if Musk is permit to get away with pass on out $ 1 million for votes ( even if the Tesla CEO insists that ’s not what he ’s doing ) it will set a very high-risk precedent for future elections . With the way that political campaigns are allowed to target voters these Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , what ’s to cease any wealthy person from handing out batch of cash with some variety of plausible deniability about what it ’s for ? This area is , in many ways , merely a joke in the post - Trump era .
Musk did n’t immediately respond to an email Monday eve . Gizmodo will update this post if we find out back .
Donald TrumpElon Musk
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