A group of former Republican government officials are urging the Attorney General to investigate Elon Musk for an offer of cash prizes to voters in swing states who sign a private petition managed by his political group.
On Saturday, "all in" Trump supporter and tech billionaire Elon Musk pledged to award $1 million a day using a lottery system. The eligibility requirements are first to be a registered voter in one of seven swing states and to sign a petition created by his political organization, America PAC. The petition is a statement of support for the first and second amendments of the constitution, and does not require political party specification or intent to vote. Additionally, Musk has promised $47 referral payments for signatures, and $100 to Pennsylvania voters.
All you need to do is sign the @America petition in support of the Constitutional rights to free speech & bear arms to have a daily chance of winning $1,000,000!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 20, 2024
You can be from any or no political party and you don't even have to vote. https://t.co/vF93mBnBJd
Several Republican attorneys and public officials composed a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry, asking for an immediate investigation into the legality of Musk's plans to pay voters who sign America PAC's petition. "Federal law bars paying voters anything of value for registering to vote," reads the letter obtained by Washington Post.
"We are aware of nothing like this in modern political history," the letter continues. "We recognize that they are framed as payments for signing a petition, or for referring voters who sign. But many of the payments are restricted to registered voters, so anyone who wishes to get paid must first register."
The petition is further scrutinized in the letter for its ambiguity. "While the usual purpose of a petition is to demonstrate public support for some proposition, America PAC's petition does not appear to serve that purpose. The substance of the petition is the bland statement, 'I am pledging my support for the First and Second
Amendments.'"
Furthermore, the names and number of signatures on the petition are not publicly available, raising questions as to what purpose the petition serves, if it is not a "demonstration of public support."
"We urge you to take swift action to investigate whether or not America PAC's payment and lottery activities violate applicable law," the letter concludes.
The letter is signed by Donald Ayer, Phillip Lacovara, John McKay, Richard Painter, Carter Phillips, Trevor Potter, Alan Charles Raul, Claudine Schnieder, Olivia Troye, William Weld, and Christina Todd Whitman. The group includes "those who have served in senior legal and law-enforcement roles under every Republican president from Richard Nixon to Donald Trump."
The Justice Department has not commented on whether an investigation is underway, but has confirmed Garland's receipt of the letter.
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
