A controversial million-dollar giveaway has caught the attention of Pennsylvania's top official, raising questions about the intersection of wealth and electoral influence.
According to NBC News, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has expressed concern over Elon Musk's recent announcement to award daily $1 million prizes to registered voters.
The governor suggested that law enforcement agencies should investigate the tech entrepreneur's unconventional voter engagement strategy.
Musk's plan, unveiled on Saturday, involves giving away $1 million each day until Election Day to a randomly selected voter who signs a petition circulated by his super PAC. The petition advocates for free speech and the right to bear arms, and signing it is a prerequisite for attending Musk-headlined rallies.
The first $1 million check was awarded on stage at a rally on Saturday, marking the beginning of what Musk intends to be a daily occurrence until Election Day. This dramatic display of financial influence in the political sphere has ignited debates about the boundaries of campaign finance and voter engagement strategies.
Governor Shapiro, speaking on NBC News' "Meet the Press," characterized Musk's initiative as "deeply concerning." He emphasized that while Musk has the right to express his political views, the influx of such substantial sums into the political process raises serious questions.
Shapiro clarified that his skepticism is not rooted in political differences with Musk, who has publicly endorsed former President Donald Trump. The governor stated:
Musk obviously has a right to be able to express his views. He's made it very, very clear that he supports Donald Trump. I don't. Obviously we have a difference of opinion.
The announcement of Musk's voter payments has prompted election law experts to scrutinize the legality of such actions. Rick Hasen, a law professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, and an NBC News election law analyst, deemed the payments "clearly illegal" in a post on his website.
Hasen pointed to federal law 52 U.S.C. 10307(c), which prohibits paying or offering payment for voter registration or voting. Violations of this law can result in fines up to $10,000 or imprisonment for up to five years, or both.
According to Hasen, the crux of the legal issue lies in Musk's PAC's offering payments exclusively to registered voters, not the general public. This specificity could be interpreted as creating a lottery in which only registered voters are eligible to participate, potentially violating election laws.
Hasen explained that the intent behind such laws is to prevent vote buying. However, he noted that the law doesn't require explicitly directing voters to support a particular candidate to be in violation. The mere act of incentivizing or rewarding voter registration or voting could be problematic.
It remains unclear whether federal authorities are investigating Musk's $1 million payments as of Sunday. Hasen suggested that authorities have the option to either prosecute Musk or issue a warning to cease the payments to registered voters.
Governor Shapiro's call for law enforcement to examine Musk's voter payments reflects growing concerns about the potential for wealthy individuals to sway electoral outcomes through unconventional means. The situation underscores the complex interplay between free speech, campaign finance laws, and the integrity of the democratic process.
