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US Presidential Polls 2024: Elon Musk’s $1M Election Donation Raises Concerns About Limits of Election Law

Elon Musk’s $1 million donation to voters who sign his petition for free speech and gun rights falls into a gray area of ​​election law, and legal experts are divided on the issue about whether the billionaire Donald Trump supporter could violate bans on paying people to register to vote.

Tesla CEO promises to donate $1 million every day to a randomly selected person who signs his online petition pledging support for the First and Second Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which protect free speech rights and possession of weapons.

Also Read: US Election 2024 Live Updates: Donald Trump Vows Not To Impose Taxes On Tips, Overtime, Social Security Benefits If Elected

“There’s certainly an argument that this falls within the scope of a federal ban on paying a person to vote or register to vote,” said Daniel Weiner of the left-leaning Brennan Center for Justice . “This is part of a trend where it is moving closer to the election laws that we have seen over the past few weeks.”

Representatives for Musk did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday.

Four legal experts were divided on whether the gift violated federal laws that make it a crime to pay or offer to pay a person to register to vote.

Brad Smith, a professor at Capital University Law School and former chairman of the Federal Election Commission, said Musk is likely off the hook because signing the petition is far enough away from voter registration.

“Just because there may be an incentive does not translate into payment for a particular activity,” Smith said.

This gift could be interpreted as Elon Musk using his wealth to try to influence the hotly contested presidential race between Trump and his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Musk’s America PAC seeks to play a major role in helping mobilize and register voters in battleground states that could decide elections.

Also read: US elections: McDonald’s declares neutral position in presidential polls following Trump’s visit to Pennsylvania

The terms of the petition state that signatories must be registered voters in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania or Wisconsin – all states that could decide the election.

Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro said Sunday the case was “deeply concerning” and called on law enforcement to investigate.

Even though Musk’s promotion doesn’t directly encourage people to sign up, its timing and focus on battleground states indicate that the petition component is just a pretext, according to law professor Richard Hasen at the University of California, Los Angeles, who said the draw was therefore a pretext. illegal.

“I think signing the petition has nothing to do with the legal issue because you have to be a registered voter. It doesn’t matter if you add other conditions,” Hasen said, adding that the U.S. Justice Department’s Election Crimes Manual specifically cites lottery odds as potentially illegal payments.

Adav Noti, of the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center, agrees, saying it’s illegal to give money on the condition that people are registered to vote.

The Brennan Center’s Weiner said the promotion is legally “shady” but falls into a gray area. The question boils down to whether signing the petition is simply an excuse to get people to register to vote, he said.

But Capital University’s Smith said Musk had other plausible reasons for wanting people to sign the petition, including collecting the names of voters who might support his cause.

Musk, ranked by Forbes as the world’s richest person, has so far provided at least $75 million to America PAC, according to federal disclosures, making the group a crucial part of Trump’s bid to win back the House White.

The entrepreneur increasingly supports Republican causes and this year became a staunch supporter of Trump.

Also read: US Election 2024: Kamala Harris recognizes Gen Z’s potential, calls them ‘clear-eyed leaders’

Trump in turn said that if elected, he would appoint Musk to head a government efficiency commission.

Asked by reporters about Musk’s gift on Sunday, Trump responded: “I didn’t follow that.”

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