Is Elon Musk’s $1m giveaway to American voters illegal?
His lottery scheme raises thorny questions—and sets a new precedent
EASY MONEY is usually too good to be true. Elon Musk, a billionaire, is promising it nonetheless. The tech mogul is offering to pay registered voters in American swing states at least $47 if they sign a petition pledging their “support” for freedom of speech and the right to bear arms (both of which are protected by the constitution). On October 19th he announced that signees would also be entered into a daily prize draw to win $1m. This will run until election day, November 5th. The contest is operated by “America”, Mr Musk’s pro-Trump super PAC, into which he has poured around $75m. “It’s innovative and it’s desperate,” scoffed Mark Cuban, a fellow billionaire. Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania’s Democratic governor, called it “deeply concerning” and said it was “something that law enforcement could take a look at”. Has Mr Musk’s lottery crossed a legal line?
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