In Philadelphia, a federal lawsuit emerged on Tuesday targeting billionaire Elon Musk and his political action committee, America PAC. This suit, filed in Pennsylvania, alleges that Musk and the PAC failed to compensate a resident from suburban Philadelphia known as “John Doe” the more than $20,000 he claims he is owed. This man’s efforts were directed towards gathering signatures for a petition supporting free speech and gun rights.
According to the lawsuit, which seeks class-action status, “John Doe” worked on a referral basis, receiving per-hour compensation for canvassing in the lead-up to the recent presidential election. However, the payment he expected for bringing in petition signers has not been fulfilled. Reportedly, he has made numerous attempts to receive this compensation but without success, and he is aware of others facing similar issues.
The man’s attorney, Shannon Liss-Riordan, has expressed disappointment, citing a significant number of people who feel they were misled about their payment expectations. “John Doe” is not alone in his plight, according to Liss-Riordan, who made these comments shortly after the case was filed.
America PAC had proposed financial incentives to encourage petition signing, offering $100 for every registered voter who signed and another $100 for those who referred these voters. Spokesperson Andrew Romeo defended the PAC’s actions, asserting their commitment to remunerate legitimate petition initiatives and highlighting that tens of millions have already been paid out to canvassers.
Romeo added that precautions against fraudulent activities necessitate withholding certain payments. Nevertheless, the PAC insists it is dedicated to countering fraud effectively.
Additionally, the PAC’s official site indicated most checks have been disbursed. Nonetheless, a few payments require additional verification due to discrepancies, as some information doesn’t align accurately. Liss-Riordan pointed out that the statement of “working on it” has been a longstanding refrain without noticeable progress.
The lawsuit accuses Musk, America PAC, and Group America LLC of contractual breaches and violations of Pennsylvania state wage laws. Recently, Musk notably issued $1 million checks to two Wisconsin voters, dubbing them spokespeople as a local Supreme Court election unfolded.
In a related twist in Pennsylvania, a previous attempt by Philadelphia’s Democratic District Attorney, Larry Krasner, to halt Musk’s $1 million voter sweepstakes fell short. A judge ruled that Krasner hadn’t proven the sweepstakes to be an illegal lottery, thereby allowing it to proceed.