PHILADELPHIA: A Pennsylvania judge declined on Monday (Nov 4) to halt billionaire Elon Musk’s US$1 million giveaways to registered voters in United States election battleground states.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Democrat, sued Musk and his pro-Trump political action committee, America PAC, last week, calling the US$1 million awards “an illegal lottery scheme”.
Krasner had asked that the daily giveaways be shut down, but Common Pleas Court Judge Angelo Foglietta declined to do so after a daylong hearing on Monday featuring Musk’s lawyers and prosecutors.
Foglietta did not immediately provide a reason for his decision, though no more giveaways were planned in Pennsylvania.
Musk did not attend Monday’s hearing.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO promised last month to give away US$1 million daily until Election Day. According to the America PAC website, 16 people, including four in Pennsylvania, have received the US$1 million awards so far.
The Justice Department warned Musk and his America PAC last month that the sweepstakes may violate federal law, which prohibits paying people to register to vote.
