The Justice Department has reportedly sent Elon Musk’s super PAC a warning that its brazen $1 million-a-day lottery to get people in swing states to register to vote could run afoul of federal law.
The warning was delivered this week in a letter sent from the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Division to Musk’s America PAC, according to 24Sight, CNN and The New York Times.
It is unclear whether Musk or his political action committee responded to the letter. A request for comment was not immediately returned to HuffPost.
The Justice Department declined to comment Wednesday.
The 24Sight newsletter reported that the letter did not threaten legal action, but warned Musk of punishment for violating election laws. In this case, violations can result in up to five years in prison.
The billionaire founder of Tesla and SpaceX supports former President Donald Trump, and Musk has already pledged to give $70 million to Trump’s Republican presidential campaign.
However, the $1 million daily prize is a new strategy that Musk unveiled at a pro-Trump rally in Pennsylvania on October 19. America PAC said on its website that it has donated $4 million so far.
A man from Holly Springs, North Carolina won $1 million on Tuesday. Other recipients included a woman living in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, a woman living in Pittsburgh, and a man living in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
To enter the sweepstakes, people must agree to become a “Spokesperson for America PAC” by signing a petition stating that “the First and Second Amendments guarantee freedom of speech and the right to bear arms.” You must also be a registered voter to be eligible.
Online, in small print, a petition offers Pennsylvania residents $100 if they sign by October 28th.
“Refer a petition signer and get $100,” the petition reads online as of Wednesday.
Federal law prohibits compensating people for voter registration.
Musk is said The prizes are random and people don’t have to be from any political party or vote.
Since the sweepstakes began just a few days ago, questions have started circulating in the media about whether the activity is legal.
UCLA law professor Rick Hasen said: Associated Press If all Musk is doing this week is paying people to sign petitions, forking over $1 million might be nothing more than a “waste of money.”
But the problem is that what Musk did was very likely illegal, Hasen said, because his PAC set a condition that only registered voters could sign the petition.
America PAC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It’s worth noting that when Musk first announced the sweepstakes program, the concept of a “giveaway” or lottery was the primary way he discussed it. The tech mogul has leaned into calling prize recipients a compensated “spokesperson” a day after news of the lottery win broke and the social media site he owns, X, came under fire.
