Tech billionaire Elon Musk has supported former President Donald Trump's re-election bid, offering $1 million a day to voters in battleground states who sign his pro-Constitution political action committee petition. is causing ripples in the Pennsylvania election campaign.
“Every day from today through November 5th, @America PAC will donate $1 million to someone in a battleground state who signs our petition supporting free speech and the right to bear arms! We want to make sure everyone gets this voice heard. I doubt they will for sure,” Musk, America's richest man, posted on X early Sunday morning. did.
The night before, Mr. Musk donated $1 million to a Pennsylvania man named John Dreher during an event in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
“The only thing we're asking for $1 million is for you to be our petition advocate, and that's really it,” Musk said at the rally, and Dreher said he would be chosen. “I had no idea,” he explained.
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Elon Musk speaks at a town hall with Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick at the Roxine Theater in Pittsburgh on October 20, 2024. (Michael Swensen/Getty Images)
Fox News investigated the legalities surrounding the initiative and found it to be a legal gray area open to interpretation, as well as similar Democratic efforts in the Keystone State and across the country.
Under federal law, paying to register to vote is a crime. But Musk's perk doesn't encourage people to register to vote, it encourages them to sign petitions.
Mr. Musk's rules for the $1 million award include that voters sign his PAC's petition supporting the First and Second Amendments. The initiative outlines that it only applies to registered voters in the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Wisconsin, and North Carolina, suggesting that unregistered voters are not eligible to participate in the program. are.
“The First and Second Amendments guarantee freedom of speech and the right to bear arms. Show your support for the First and Second Amendments by signing below,” the petition states. I promise,” it says.
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America PAC's website details that one petition signer in the Pittsburgh area will be awarded the October 20th amount, and another signer across Pennsylvania will be awarded the October 21st amount. has been done.
“From October 22nd to November 5th: Every day, one petition signer in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, or North Carolina will receive a $1 million reward. ,” the website continues, detailing which states are considered battleground states.
The petition does not require residents to register to vote in order to sign the petition, it only asks users to answer whether they are registered voters.
washington post Detailed in an article earlier this month entitled “A Massive Influx of Shadow Vote Spending Floods Battleground States,” a Philadelphia nonprofit distributed more than 100,000 books to voters under 32 in the area. He said he was sending comic books. Increase voter turnout by supporting Vice President Kamala Harris. The media outlet explained that the nonprofit group “tried to encourage voting” this season with $1,000 Target gift cards, $2,000 rent checks and $10,000 grants to community groups.
The Civic Center, a youth-focused nonprofit organization, is running a similar promotion for high school students. $150 gift card for students Those helping schools prepare for High School Voter Registration Week.
Elon Musk listens to former President Trump speak at the Butler Farm Show campaign event on Saturday, October 5, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
The $1 million a day donations amid a closely contested and highly anticipated election prompted criticism and legal concerns from Democrats, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who previously served as the state's attorney general. .
“There are real questions about how he's spending money in this election, how he's getting dark money into not just Pennsylvania, but apparently into the pockets of Pennsylvanians,” Shapiro said on NBC. I think that's very worrying.” Press. ”
He added, “Look, Mr. Musk clearly has a right to express his opinion. He has made it very clear that he supports Donald Trump, and we have disagreements. Yes, I'm not going to deny him that right.” But I think when you start funneling this kind of money into politics, it raises serious questions that people might want to consider. ”
“Do you think it might not be legal, yes or no?” host Kristen Welker asked.
“I think it's something that law enforcement can look into,” Shapiro responded.
Musk dismissed concerns about X, saying, “I don't think he would say something like that.”
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Earlier this month, Musk's PAC announced it would offer a starting wage of $30 an hour, far above the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, to individuals seeking to increase voter registration and turnout, as well as voters in swing states. announced that it would provide $47 to each registered voter. See Sign the PAC Petition. In Pennsylvania, Mr. Musk's PAC is offering residents $100 to sign a petition and $100 for each referral.
Elon Musk speaks at a town hall in support of former President Trump on Thursday, October 17, 2024 in Folsom, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
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The PAC, which claims to promote “free speech, free markets, and a meritocratic society,” was formally formed in early summer. federal election commission America PAC has already invested at least $2.4 million in more than a dozen major congressional races, according to filings late last month. Musk said in July that he planned to contribute about $45 million a month to the super PAC.
Musk publicly endorsed Trump over the summer during the campaign, in which the 45th president survived his first assassination attempt, and has since joined the campaign, particularly in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania. They are gaining support in the states and encouraging people to vote.
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He enacted the First and Second Amendments, abolished government red tape and ended overregulation of businesses, a hallmark of his campaign speech. Meanwhile, President Trump praised Musk's support, saying the tech billionaire behind SpaceX and He said there is.
Elon Musk jumps onto the stage as former President Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Saturday, October 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Musk's campaign is clearly worrying Democrats as President Trump claims the Keystone State.
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Pennsylvania is seen as a state likely to determine the final outcome of the election, and President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have repeatedly zigzagged around the state to rally support among urban residents, suburbanites, and farmers. I am doing it. Democratic Sen. John Fetterman warned his party members not to take Musk's comments lightly. Influencing Pennsylvania voters.
Former President Trump embraces Elon Musk (right) at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Saturday, October 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
“It wasn’t just that he supported; [Trump]But the fact that now he's become more involved, showing up at rallies and things like that,” Fetterman told the New York Post this month.
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“In other words, [Musk] “He's been incredibly successful, and some people might see him as sort of like Tony Stark,” Fetterman said. Down or something like that. And I just want to say that they're doing it at our peril. ”
