A US court has allowed businessman Elon Musk, who supports Republican Donald Trump, to pay a million dollars a day to registered US voters. This is reported by Reuters.
Earlier, Musk said that his America PAC organisation would choose a random registered voter every day to receive a $1 million payment if they signed the organisation’s petition.
The prosecutor claimed that this contest was an ‘illegal lottery’, but Musk’s lawyers noted that the payments would go to those who support Trump’s ideas. Musk stressed that the winners would be chosen at random.
The contest, which started on 19 October, is aimed at voters from seven key states known as ‘swing states’ – Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. To participate, you had to sign a petition supporting freedom of speech and the right to bear arms.
The initiative drew criticism because US law prohibits paying citizens for their registration or intention to vote. The prohibition covers not only cash payments, but also any material incentives, including ‘alcohol, lotteries, or welfare payments’. In addition, through America PAC, the organisation can collect information about voters for future campaigns.
To date, $16 million has been paid out to participants, and the next winner from Michigan will be announced today, 5 November, the day of the presidential election.
The judge dismissed the prosecutor’s complaint and allowed Musk to continue the contest, promising to provide an explanation for this decision later.
