A Philadelphia judge has scheduled a hearing for Thursday morning regarding the city prosecutor’s attempts to halt Elon Musk’s daily sweepstakes worth $1 million, which are being conducted in critical battleground states. These giveaways are orchestrated by Musk’s political organization with the goal of enhancing Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a member of the Democratic Party, initiated legal action on Monday to put an end to the America PAC sweepstakes, which are slated to continue until Election Day. The hearing will take place in a City Hall courtroom overseen by Judge Angelo Foglietta.
Matthew Haverstick, one of the several attorneys representing the defendants, refrained from commenting as of late Wednesday on whether Musk would be present at the hearing.
The sweepstakes are available to residents of battleground states who sign a petition advocating for the Constitution. Krasner has indicated that he may contemplate criminal charges, asserting his obligation to safeguard the public against illegal lotteries and any potential disruption to the electoral process.
Experts in election law have raised concerns regarding the legality of the sweepstakes, speculating it may breach federal statutes prohibiting payment for votes. Musk has framed the funds as both a prize and compensation for being a spokesperson for the organization.
Krasner’s lawsuit contends that both America PAC and Musk are “indisputably violating Pennsylvania’s statutory prohibitions against illegal lotteries and misleading consumers.”
Both Trump and Vice President Harris have made numerous trips to Pennsylvania in their pursuit of the state’s 19 electoral votes.
Musk, who is the founder of SpaceX and Tesla and the owner of X, is deeply invested in Trump’s campaign this election cycle, claiming that the future of civilization hangs in the balance if Trump does not succeed. He is heavily involved in the get-out-the-vote initiatives for Trump through his super PAC, which has the capacity to collect and spend unlimited amounts of money.
He has pledged over $70 million to the super PAC to aid Trump and other Republican candidates in their pursuit of victory in the upcoming November elections.