Judge allows Elon Musk’s $1 million-a-day sweepstakes amid accusations of election interference
A Pennsylvania court has ruled that a high-profile $1 million-a-day sweepstakes, hosted by Elon Musk’s America PAC in key swing states, can continue through the presidential election. The decision by Judge Angelo Foglietta on Monday comes after Musk’s lawyers argued that recipients of the sweepstakes are not chosen at random but rather selected based on alignment with the PAC’s values. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, however, had attempted to halt the programme, describing it as a “scam” that breaches state election laws.
The sweepstakes, designed to register over a million voters in battleground states, offers substantial payouts to selected participants who sign a petition supporting the First and Second Amendments. Musk’s lawyer, Chris Gober, defended the programme, explaining that recipients were not randomly picked but pre-screened to ensure they represent the PAC’s ideals. Gober confirmed that two more recipients would be named before Election Day, one in Arizona and another in Michigan.
In response, Krasner’s legal team argued that the initiative is a thinly veiled attempt to sway the election. Testifying in court, America PAC director Chris Young admitted that recipients undergo personality assessments to determine if they fit the PAC’s messaging and sign nondisclosure agreements to keep details of their selection process confidential. In past social media posts, however, Musk indicated that anyone signing the petition had a “chance” to win the daily $1 million prize, which Krasner’s team pointed out contradicts claims that winners were not randomly selected.
The sweepstakes also caught the attention of the US Justice Department, which recently issued a warning to Musk’s PAC over potential violations of federal election laws, specifically those that prohibit financial incentives tied to voter registration. This caution, reportedly sent by the department’s Public Integrity Section, has prompted America PAC to revise its messaging. Under new guidelines, recipients are now referred to as “spokespersons” rather than “winners,” a change some experts suggest does little to alter the sweepstakes’ structure.
Legal experts are divided on the issue. Some argue the programme exists in a legal “grey area,” potentially sidestepping direct violation of voter laws, while others contend it skirts dangerously close to illegal compensation for voter participation. Matthew Sanderson, a Republican election law expert, stated that while the programme raises legal questions, it does not necessarily break the law.
The sweepstakes has already seen four winners from states like Pennsylvania and Michigan, all of whom publicly endorsed Trump and constitutional rights in promotional videos. America PAC has pledged that all prize funds will be disbursed by the end of November, although it remains unclear whether the recipients have received their winnings. Meanwhile, concerns linger over the PAC’s potential long-term use of voter data from over a million registrants, which Krasner suggests may exploit participants beyond the election season.
Elon Musk, who did not attend the court hearing, has already poured more than $70 million into the PAC, backing Trump’s campaign and other Republican candidates ahead of the election. Krasner hinted he may pursue civil damages for Pennsylvania residents who signed up for the sweepstakes, suggesting that Musk’s operation misuses electoral integrity and infringes on the state’s lottery laws.
