Law enforcement urged to investigate Elon Musk’s voter payments

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro expressed concern over tech mogul Elon Musk’s plan to give $1 million every day to a random registered voter in Pennsylvania who signs a petition in support of free speech and the right to bear arms. Musk’s super PAC, which requires signing the petition to attend his rallies, has sparked legal questions as experts point to federal laws prohibiting cash payments to voters. Rick Hasen, an election law analyst, deemed the payments illegal under 52 U.S.C. 10307(c), which prohibits paying or accepting money for registration or voting. Despite Musk’s support of former President Donald Trump, Shapiro emphasized that political differences are not the issue, but rather the potential implications of injecting significant money into politics through these cash prizes. Hasen noted that the intent of election laws against bribery is to prevent the buying of votes, and Musk’s scheme could be seen as creating a lottery that incentivizes or rewards registered voters. While it is unclear if federal authorities are investigating Musk’s payments, Hasen suggested that they could issue a warning or prosecute him to enforce the law. Neither Musk nor his PAC has responded to requests for comment on the situation. Ultimately, concerns have been raised over the legality and potential impact of Musk’s cash payments to registered voters in Pennsylvania.

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