DOJ warns Elon Musk's super PAC over $1 million daily sweepstakes

Elon Musk began a daily raffle of one million dollars among those registered voters who signed his super PAC, America PAC's petition on free speech and the right to bear arms. A few days later, and with the presidential election drawing ever closer, the Department of Justice(DOJ) warned X's owner about the legality of his initiative.

As reported by NBC, the DOJ led by Merrick Garland warned the mogul that the sweepstakes could be in violation of federal election law.

What does the law say about Musk's million-dollar sweepstakes? Under existing statutes, paying someone to register in favor is effectively a crime, although Musk's initiative does not require voters to register to be eligible for the prize, but to sign a petition.

In turn, America PAC's petition does not require a resident to register to vote to sign it, it only asks users to respond whether or not they are registered voters.

"The First and Second Amendments guarantee freedom of speech and the right to bear arms. By signing below, I pledge to support the First and Second Amendments," reads Musk's petition, which is focused on voters in the following key states: Pennsylvania, Nevada, Georgia, Wisconsin, Arizona and North Carolina.

"All we're asking for the $1 million is for you to be a spokesperson for the petition, and that's it, really," Musk himself explained at the campaign event kicking off the million-dollar sweepstakes.

Prior to the DOJ appearance, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro questioned the SpaceX founder's initiative calling it "deeply troubling" and "something that authorities should look at."

"I think there are real questions about how he's spending money on this campaign, how dark money is flowing, not just in Pennsylvania, but apparently now into the pockets of Pennsylvanians," added the Democrat, who served as the state's attorney general from 2017 to 2023.