Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro raised concerns about tech mogul Elon Musk’s plan to give $1 million per day to a random registered voter in the state until Election Day. Musk announced this initiative as part of a petition circulated by his super PAC in support of free speech and the right to bear arms. Shapiro expressed skepticism about the legality of these cash prizes given to voters, citing federal laws that prohibit payments for voting or voter registration.
Election law experts, including Rick Hasen, labeled Musk’s payments as illegal under federal law, stating that creating a lottery exclusively for registered voters constitutes bribery, whether or not it is tied to a specific candidate. Hasen emphasized that the intent of election laws is to prevent the buying of votes, and Musk’s actions could be seen as incentivizing or rewarding voter participation, which is illegal.
Despite the potential illegality of the cash payments, Musk and his super PAC have not responded to inquiries regarding the matter. It remains unclear if federal authorities are investigating the situation, but Hasen suggested that they may choose to prosecute Musk or issue a warning to cease the payments. The enforcement of these laws would serve as a deterrent to prevent similar actions in the future.
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