Philadelphia DA sues Elon Musk PAC to stop $1 million lottery for voters

The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office filed a lawsuit seeking to stop a political action committee controlled by billionaire Elon Musk from awarding $1 million to registered voters in swing states, accusing them of “running an illegal lottery.”

The lawsuit by DA Larry Krasner, which accuses Musk and his American PAC of trying to influence voters in the presidential election, comes days after the U.S. Department of Justice warned America PAC that its $1 million daily sweepstakes might violate federal election law.

Krasner’s lawsuit in Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas names both the Tesla CEO Musk and America PAC as defendants.

Musk is backing Republican nominee Donald Trump in the presidential election against Democratic nominee Kamala Harris.

“America PAC and Elon Musk are running an illegal lottery in Philadelphia (as well as throughout Pennsylvania),” the suit says.

The suit notes that at an Oct. 19 campaign rally, Musk announced that if a registered voter turned over personal identifying information — address, cell phone and email address — and signed a petition pledging support for the Constitution, they would be eligible to be selected randomly for a $1 million prize.

“In other words, America PAC and Musk are lulling Philadelphia citizens – and others in the Commonwealth (and other swing states in the upcoming election) – to give up their personal identifying information and make a political pledge in exchange for the chance to win $1 million,” the suit says.

“That is a lottery,” the suit says. “And it is indisputably an unlawful lottery.”

The suit says that under Pennsylvania law, all lotteries in that state must be regulated by the state.

Musk’s lottery also violates Pennsylvania consumer protection law by “deploying deceptive, vague or misleading statements that create a likelihood of confusion or misunderstanding,” the suit says.

Krasner in a statement Monday said, “The Philadelphia District Attorney is charged with protecting the public from public nuisances and unfair trade practices, including illegal lotteries.”

“The DA is also charged with protecting the public from interference with the integrity of elections,” Krasner said.

– Additional reporting by CNBC’s Kevin Breuninger

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