Elon Musk, a billionaire supporter of former President Donald Trump, announced Saturday he will randomly give $1 million every day until the election to a swing state voter who signs a petition by his super PAC—the latest controversial cash giveaway by a political action committee backed by the world’s wealthiest person.
Musk announced the $1 million daily awards at a rally for Trump in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, and named the first winner onsite, John Dreher.
Voters can qualify for the giveaway by signing a petition in support of free speech and the right to bear arms run by Musk’s America PAC—which has spent millions backing Trump’s election bid, including by paying for door-to-door canvassing in swing states.
Voters in Pennsylvania will receive the million-dollar prize on Sunday and Monday, and in the 15 days after, signers from either Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina will be eligible.
Forbes
Business
Breaking
Elon Musk Giving $1 Million Daily To Swing State Voters Who Sign His Petition—In Latest Controversial Giveaway
Molly Bohannon
Forbes Staff
Molly Bohannon has been a Forbes news reporter since 2023.
1
Oct 20, 2024,11:28am EDT
Topline
Elon Musk, a billionaire supporter of former President Donald Trump, announced Saturday he will randomly give $1 million every day until the election to a swing state voter who signs a petition by his super PAC—the latest controversial cash giveaway by a political action committee backed by the world’s wealthiest person.
US-VOTE-POLITICS-MUSK
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk speaks during a town hall event hosted by America PAC in support of ... [+]AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
Musk announced the $1 million daily awards at a rally for Trump in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, and named the first winner onsite, John Dreher.
Voters can qualify for the giveaway by signing a petition in support of free speech and the right to bear arms run by Musk’s America PAC—which has spent millions backing Trump’s election bid, including by paying for door-to-door canvassing in swing states.
Voters in Pennsylvania will receive the million-dollar prize on Sunday and Monday, and in the 15 days after, signers from either Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina will be eligible.
Election lawyer Rick Hasen said in a post on his blog the latest initiative by Musk is “clearly illegal,” arguing it violates a federal law banning “pay(ing) or offer(ing) to pay or accept(ing) payment either for registration to vote or for voting.” Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro also criticized the giveaway, saying on “Meet the Press” Sunday that Musk has a right to express his views, “but when you start flowing this kind of money into politics, I think it raises serious questions that folks may want to take a look at.” Shapiro declined to speculate outright, though, on whether the giveaway was illegal. Forbes has reached out to Musk, his lawyer and the America PAC for comment on the giveaway and criticism of it.
Through his America PAC, Musk officially became a Republican mega donor. Musk gave about $75 million to the PAC in the third quarter of 2024, making up virtually all of the group’s fundraising, and the PAC spent about $72 million to support Trump’s White House bid from July to September. Musk created America PAC in May, before endorsing Trump, though it has since played a pivotal role in Trump’s campaign, with as many as 400 employees in each of seven swing states, The Guardian reported. Earlier this month, Musk announced any petition signee who refers another registered swing state voter to sign his America PAC petition by Oct. 21 will receive $47. Last week, Musk upped that offer for Pennsylvania voters, offering $100 per referral through Monday. Musk’s giveaways have raised questions in the past. It is legal for someone to compensate signature gatherers, but laws vary by state and some have banned pay-per-signature compensation methods (but America PAC is based in Texas, where there is not a specific ban on that). And there are broader concerns about incentivizing people to register to vote as it is federally illegal to pay someone to register. Meanwhile, Reuters reports America PAC has struggled to meet its lofty goals, as its canvassers fan out across the swing states and knock on scores of donors’ doors in the election’s closing weeks.
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Musk announced the $1 million daily awards at a rally for Trump in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, and named the first winner onsite, John Dreher.
Voters can qualify for the giveaway by signing a petition in support of free speech and the right to bear arms run by Musk’s America PAC—which has spent millions backing Trump’s election bid, including by paying for door-to-door canvassing in swing states.
Voters in Pennsylvania will receive the million-dollar prize on Sunday and Monday, and in the 15 days after, signers from either Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina will be eligible.
Forbes
Business
Breaking
Elon Musk Giving $1 Million Daily To Swing State Voters Who Sign His Petition—In Latest Controversial Giveaway
Molly Bohannon
Forbes Staff
Molly Bohannon has been a Forbes news reporter since 2023.
1
Oct 20, 2024,11:28am EDT
Topline
Elon Musk, a billionaire supporter of former President Donald Trump, announced Saturday he will randomly give $1 million every day until the election to a swing state voter who signs a petition by his super PAC—the latest controversial cash giveaway by a political action committee backed by the world’s wealthiest person.
US-VOTE-POLITICS-MUSK
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk speaks during a town hall event hosted by America PAC in support of ... [+]AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
Musk announced the $1 million daily awards at a rally for Trump in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, and named the first winner onsite, John Dreher.
Voters can qualify for the giveaway by signing a petition in support of free speech and the right to bear arms run by Musk’s America PAC—which has spent millions backing Trump’s election bid, including by paying for door-to-door canvassing in swing states.
Voters in Pennsylvania will receive the million-dollar prize on Sunday and Monday, and in the 15 days after, signers from either Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina will be eligible.
Election lawyer Rick Hasen said in a post on his blog the latest initiative by Musk is “clearly illegal,” arguing it violates a federal law banning “pay(ing) or offer(ing) to pay or accept(ing) payment either for registration to vote or for voting.” Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro also criticized the giveaway, saying on “Meet the Press” Sunday that Musk has a right to express his views, “but when you start flowing this kind of money into politics, I think it raises serious questions that folks may want to take a look at.” Shapiro declined to speculate outright, though, on whether the giveaway was illegal. Forbes has reached out to Musk, his lawyer and the America PAC for comment on the giveaway and criticism of it.
Through his America PAC, Musk officially became a Republican mega donor. Musk gave about $75 million to the PAC in the third quarter of 2024, making up virtually all of the group’s fundraising, and the PAC spent about $72 million to support Trump’s White House bid from July to September. Musk created America PAC in May, before endorsing Trump, though it has since played a pivotal role in Trump’s campaign, with as many as 400 employees in each of seven swing states, The Guardian reported. Earlier this month, Musk announced any petition signee who refers another registered swing state voter to sign his America PAC petition by Oct. 21 will receive $47. Last week, Musk upped that offer for Pennsylvania voters, offering $100 per referral through Monday. Musk’s giveaways have raised questions in the past. It is legal for someone to compensate signature gatherers, but laws vary by state and some have banned pay-per-signature compensation methods (but America PAC is based in Texas, where there is not a specific ban on that). And there are broader concerns about incentivizing people to register to vote as it is federally illegal to pay someone to register. Meanwhile, Reuters reports America PAC has struggled to meet its lofty goals, as its canvassers fan out across the swing states and knock on scores of donors’ doors in the election’s closing weeks.
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just like the free internet he promised, Another grifter in the making.
