By Steve Neavling
Former Republican lawmakers, advisers, and Justice Department officials are urging Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate tech billionaire Elon Musk for offering large cash prizes to voters in swing states if they sign a political petition.
The request, made in a letter obtained by The Washington Post and sent to Garland on Monday, alleges that Musk’s actions may violate federal voting laws, which prohibit offering financial incentives to register voters.
Musk, a known supporter of Republican nominee Donald Trump, announced on Saturday that his political group, America PAC, would award $1 million each day in a lottery leading up to the election. The prizes would go to registered voters in seven key swing states, including Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Nevada, who sign a petition supporting free speech and the right to bear arms.
The letter, signed by 11 former Republican officials, claims that Musk’s petition is a thinly veiled voter registration drive that amounts to bribing individuals to register to vote. It was also sent to Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry and district attorneys in Pennsylvania.
“We are aware of nothing like this in modern political history,” the letter states. “We urge you to investigate whether America PAC’s payments are prohibited payments for voter registration. We recognize that they are framed as payments for signing a petition, or for referring voters who sign. But many of the payments are restricted to registered voters, so anyone who wishes to get paid must first register.”
Musk has already awarded two $1 million prizes to voters in Pennsylvania and is offering $47 to any registered swing-state voter who recruits someone to sign the petition.
The Justice Department confirmed receipt of the letter but declined to comment on whether Musk or his PAC are being investigated.
