In the heart of Philadelphia, a legal showdown unfolded on Monday, as a lawyer representing Elon Musk’s politically charged committee asserted in court that the purported “prize winners” of Musk’s ambitious $1 million-a-day voter sweepstakes — aimed at galvanizing support in swing states — are not merely selected by the whims of luck. Instead, they are strategically chosen to serve as “spokespeople” for the organization.
Chris Gober, the GOP attorney, disclosed that the announcement of the winners set for Monday and Tuesday would stem from Arizona and Michigan, thus declaring they would not interfere with Pennsylvania’s electoral process. He laid bare a meticulous selection process predicated on individual narratives, and the recipients purportedly sign contracts with the America PAC, Musk’s favored political apparatus.
“The recipients of the $1 million are deliberately chosen, not left to fortune,” Gober asserted. “We are fully aware of who will be unveiled as the victors today and tomorrow.”
However, Philadelphia’s District Attorney, Larry Krasner, remained unconvinced, positing that this meticulous selection undermines the spirit of state election laws and stands in stark contradiction to Musk’s earlier assertions made during an October campaign appearance with Republican nominee Donald Trump: “We’ll award a million dollars at random to those who have backed the petition daily until election day,” Musk had boldly proclaimed.
As proceedings progressed, Krasner’s legal representative rigorously interrogated a PAC official regarding the implications of descriptors like “chance” and “randomly,” terms Musk had employed to characterize his sweeping giveaways.
When pressed, Chris Young, the PAC’s treasurer, conceded he found Musk’s declaration of “random” to be surprising, stating, “It’s not the term I would have opted for.” He admitted to having advance knowledge of victors, and while the individuals were aware they would be summoned, they weren’t apprised of any impending monetary windfall.
In a social media proclamation on October 20, Musk tantalizingly suggested that anyone who endorsed the petition held “a daily chance of winning $1M!” Gober contended that the terminology of “randomly” bore no equivalent to “chance,” a stance Krasner dismissed as “absurd.”
Curiously absent from the courtroom was Musk himself, who has poured over $70 million into the PAC endeavor, all in a bid to see Trump and his Republican comrades secure a victory come November.
Serving as a key witness, Krasner decried the sweepstakes as nothing more than a clever ruse disguised as a lottery, urging Common Pleas Court Judge Angelo Foglietta to put a halt to the entire operation. “This is merely political marketing masquerading as a lottery,” Krasner asserted, branding it a “grift.”
Legal representatives for Musk and the PAC indicated their intentions to conclude the sweepstakes following Tuesday, while Krasner noted that the initial three prize recipients, selected shortly after the commencement of the promotion, hailed from Pennsylvania right before the state’s voter registration deadline on October 21.
Further winners emerged from critical battleground states: Wisconsin, Nevada, Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, and Michigan. Yet, the question looms — have any participants actually received their promised funds? According to an exhibited court document, the PAC has assured that payouts would be fulfilled by November 30.
To date, upwards of 1 million individuals across these pivotal states have enlisted in the contest by signing a petition advocating for free speech and the right to bear arms, enshrined in the First and Second Amendments of the Constitution. Krasner raised concerns regarding the potential exploitation of their personal data, which the PAC would retain and utilize well beyond the election itself.
“They were hoodwinked for their information,” Krasner lamented, cautioning of its potentially boundless applications.
In the courtroom, Krasner’s attorney, John Summers, painted Musk as the galvanizing force behind the America PAC, taking credit for announcing winners and handing out checks — albeit in a rather theatrical manner with oversized cardboard representations. “We remain in the dark regarding the authenticity of any real checks,” Summers remarked.
Presiding over the proceedings was Judge Foglietta, stationed at Philadelphia City Hall, following Musk’s and the PAC’s unsuccessful bid to shift the case to a federal arena. Krasner hinted at the possibility of pursuing criminal charges, emphasizing his responsibility to safeguard the integrity of lotteries and elections. He expressed that the defendants are “indisputably violating” Pennsylvania’s lottery regulations.
Pennsylvania, a pivotal battleground with its 19 electoral votes, has seen both Trump and Democratic VP Kamala Harris converge upon the state numerous times, intensifying their campaign efforts, particularly as they entered the final countdown to election day.
In a twist of irony, Krasner, a long-time Tesla owner, indicated that he might also seek civil damages from Musk on behalf of the Pennsylvania registrants. Musk, in charge of Tesla alongside the social media platform X and SpaceX, finds himself embroiled in an evolving narrative as the ramifications of this high-stakes sweepstakes continue to ripple through the electoral landscape.
