Despite ongoing legal challenges, Elon Musk’s controversial “Musk Lottery” is set to continue until the U.S. presidential election. The Tesla CEO randomly selected one resident each day who signed a petition supporting the First Amendment (freedom of expression) and Second Amendment (right to bear arms), awarding them a $1 million prize. This initiative aims to encourage voter registration among conservative voters.
Pennsylvania District Court Judge Angelo Foglietta announced that the trial would not proceed while the federal court considers whether to halt Musk’s prize event, according to a report by Reuters yesterday.
Musk will likely continue the prize event until the presidential election on November 5, as it is improbable that the decision on filing the lawsuit will be made before that date.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner sued to stop Musk’s prize event on Monday. He claimed it constituted an “illegal lottery” that induced Pennsylvania residents to provide personal information.
This lawsuit from Krasner’s office followed a warning from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on October 23. Offering million-dollar prizes to voters in swing states through a lottery could violate federal law. The prize events are hosted by the America First Action PAC, a political fundraising organization established by Musk to support former President Donald Trump.
In defense, Musk’s legal team asserts that the case should be handled at the federal level. They also criticized the Philadelphia district attorney’s approach, describing the lawsuit as an attempt to create a “circus atmosphere” around Musk’s involvement.
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