Judge allows Elon Musk’s $1 million giveaway to Pennsylvania voters

A state judge in Pennsylvania on Monday approved Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s $1 million-a-day giveaway to voters, just one day before the closely contested US presidential election between Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump, whom Musk supports.

Musk, on October 19, announced a $1 million check every day to a voter from the swing states who signed his petition supporting free speech and gun rights. Since then, he has already given away $16 million to registered swing state voters. The billionaire businessman’s lawyers said that the final winner would be announced on election day.

While Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner called the sweepstakes a “scam” that violates state election law and requested that it be shut down, Musk’s team argued that the winners did not win by chance but are, instead, paid spokespeople for the group.

“The $1 million recipients are not chosen by chance. We know exactly who will be announced as the $1 million recipient today and tomorrow,” Musk lawyer Chris Gober said.

Musk’s offer is available only to registered voters in the seven key states expected to play a decisive role in the election: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

The giveaway was challenged in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s largest city and one of the critical battleground states that could decide the race between Republican Trump and Democratic candidate Harris. The winner of Pennsylvania will secure its 19 electoral votes, contributing to the 270 needed for victory.

Chris Young, director of Elon Musk’s America PAC (Political Action Committee), testified that recipients are pre-screened to assess their personality and ensure their values align with the group’s principles. Musk’s lawyers defended the initiative as “core political speech,” noting that participants sign a petition in support of the US Constitution.

They argued that Krasner’s attempt to halt the sweepstakes under Pennsylvania law was irrelevant, as no additional winners from Pennsylvania would be selected before the program concludes on Tuesday.

However, the Common Pleas Court Judge Angelo Foglietta did not immediately give a reason for the ruling.

According to reports, more than 1 million people from the seven states have registered for the sweepstake by signing a petition saying they support the right to free speech and to bear arms, the first two amendments to the US Constitution.