Elon Musk's PAC Tells Judge $1M Sweepstakes Winners Aren't Chosen by Chance
Lawyers for Elon Musk 's political action committee (PAC) told a judge this week that the winners of his $1 million-a-day voting sweepstakes aren't chosen by chance.
On Monday, lawyers for America PAC, Musk's political organization, told a judge in Philadelphia that participants labeled as "winners" in Musk's $1 million-a-day voter sweepstakes in key swing states are not randomly selected; rather, they are chosen to serve as paid "spokespeople" for the organization.
What the PAC Argues
Republican attorney Chris Gober stated that Monday's and Tuesday's recipients would be selected from Arizona and Michigan, respectively, and thus would not impact the Pennsylvania election. He explained that recipients are chosen for their personal stories and sign contracts with America PAC.
"The $1 million recipients are not chosen by chance," Gober said on Monday. "We know exactly who will be announced as the $1 million recipient today and tomorrow."
Musk was absent from Monday's hearing, held just a day before the presidential election. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner took the stand, denouncing the sweepstakes as a scam and urging the judge to put a stop to it.
The Sweepstakes
America PAC aims to boost Donald Trump 's presidential campaign through the lottery initiative, according to its organizers. Krasner noted that 18 prizes have been awarded so far.
Attorneys representing Musk and America PAC assured the judge that they have no plans to continue the lottery beyond Tuesday.
Krasner argued that the sweepstakes constitutes an illegal lottery under Pennsylvania law, pointing out the lack of published rules or privacy policies for voter data collected by the PAC. Participants are required to sign an oath to the U.S. Constitution when registering.
What the State Argues
During his testimony on Monday, Krasner said, "They were scammed for their information...It has almost unlimited use."
John Summers, representing Krasner, described Musk as "the heartbeat of America PAC," noting that he personally announces the winners and presents the checks.
"He was the one who presented the checks, albeit large cardboard checks. We don't really know if there are any real checks," Summers said on Monday.
Krasner indicated that criminal charges remain on the table, emphasizing his responsibility to safeguard both lottery regulations and election integrity. In the lawsuit, he asserted that the defendants are "indisputably violating" Pennsylvania's lottery laws.
Krasner's lawsuit also asserts that Musk and America PAC are "indisputably violating Pennsylvania's statutory bans on illegal lotteries and misleading consumers."
With its 19 electoral votes, Pennsylvania remains a critical battleground, drawing repeated visits from both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris , the Democratic Party 's presidential nominee. Both candidates, aiming to sway last-minute voters, have scheduled stops in the state for Monday as the race draws to a close.
This includes reporting from The Associated Press.
