Tesla CEO Elon Musk can continue a daily $1 million giveaway event until election day.
According to the AP, on Monday, U.S. District Judge Angelo Foglietta in Pennsylvania ruled that Musk’s event, which offers cash to voters, could proceed through its final day despite a lawsuit seeking to halt it. The judge’s reasoning was not immediately disclosed.
Musk’s legal team argued in court that the $1 million prize winner was not selected through a random drawing.
Chris Young, director of the super PAC America PAC, also testified that potential winners underwent pre-screening to ensure their values aligned with the organization’s. He clarified that winners were not chosen randomly, as in a lottery.
In response, District Attorney Larry Krasner’s office representative alleged that the event was a fraudulent scheme designed to influence the election.
Previously, Musk had pledged to award $1 million daily to a randomly selected resident who signed a petition supporting the First and Second Amendments (freedom of speech and the right to bear arms), aiming to boost conservative voter registration in swing states.
Eligibility for signing the petition was restricted to registered voters in seven battleground states: Arizona, Michigan, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
In response, on October 28, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner filed a civil suit in Philadelphia’s district court against Musk and America PAC, which had been established to support Trump’s election, seeking to stop the prize distribution.
After filing the lawsuit, Krasner stated, “We have a responsibility to protect the public from unfair trading practices and illegal lotteries. The prosecution also must safeguard the integrity of elections from actions that undermine it.”
