Tech billionaire Elon Musk’s political action committee (PAC) is facing allegations in a new lawsuit, claiming it has failed to honor its promise to compensate numerous voters in key swing states who signed petitions supporting the First and Second Amendments.
During the 2024 election campaign, Musk had initially committed to paying $47 to voters who signed these petitions in seven battleground states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, eventually raising the payout to $100 per person.
Currently, three voters from Georgia, Nevada, and Pennsylvania have initiated a national class action lawsuit on behalf of those who participated but have yet to receive payment.
“The plaintiffs are in contact with many others who helped gather signatures for the US PAC petition,” the lawsuit, filed in federal court in Philadelphia last week, states.
While federal law allows for compensation for registering voters, the US PAC implemented a requirement that signers must already be registered to vote, which has apparently circumvented those regulations.
One of the plaintiffs, Steve Reid, identifies as a canvasser for the PAC in Georgia and Michigan and believes he is entitled to further compensation.
“Despite several efforts to obtain payment, Reid has not received the full amount promised for his efforts. He estimates that several thousand dollars remain unpaid,” the lawsuit asserts.
Another complaint, filed last month, raised similar issues for voters in Pennsylvania.
A spokesman for the American PAC stated to CNN that the group is committed to compensating all legitimate petition signers, noting that they have already disbursed tens of millions of dollars to canvassers involved in their initiatives.
Musk reportedly spent around $300 million to support Trump in the 2024 election, winning in all seven key states.
Later, Musk took on the role of a special government employee with the Ministry of Government Efficiency (DOGE), but this position is set to terminate soon, and he has begun to limit his responsibilities with DOGE.
Musk has actively promoted US PAC petitions on social media, with many of his posts receiving millions of views.
In addition to the $100 for signing, the PAC has also pledged to award $1 million daily to randomly selected signers, with Musk personally distributing oversized checks to some of the winners at pro-Trump rallies.
Previous litigation alleged that these giveaways were misleading, suggesting predetermined winners.
The US PAC has not yet responded to requests for comments about the ongoing lawsuit.
