起诉文件指出，10月19日的一场集会中，马斯克宣布，如果登记选民提供地址、手机号码和电邮这些个人身份信息，并签署支持宪法的America PAC请愿书，他们将有资格参与随机抽奖，有机会赢得100 万美元的奖金。诉状认为：The lawsuit alleges that Musk and his organization America PAC, which supports Trump's campaign, deceived citizens in swing states, inducing them to give up personal information and make political commitments in exchange for a chance to win $1 million, which is an illegal lottery. Prosecutors have a responsibility to prevent interference that affects the fairness of elections for the general public.
$Tesla (TSLA.US)$ CEO Musk's recent move to challenge Trump has sparked a lawsuit, with local prosecutors in swing states in the usa officially filing charges.
On Monday, October 28, local time, the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office (DAO) of the largest prosecutor's office in Pennsylvania (PA) filed a lawsuit accusing Musk and his organization, the America PAC, established to support Trump's campaign, of conducting "illegal raffles," seeking to stop this attempt to influence voters.
The lawsuit alleges that during a rally on October 19, Musk announced that if registered voters provide personal information such as address, phone number, and email, and sign a petition in support of the America PAC supporting the Constitution, they would be eligible to participate in a random raffle with a chance to win a $1 million prize.
"In other words, America PAC and Musk are enticing citizens of Philadelphia and other citizens of the federal government (and citizens of other swing states in the upcoming elections) to give up their personal information, make political commitments in exchange for a chance to win $1 million. That is a raffle, undoubtedly, an illegal raffle.
The complaint states that according to Pennsylvania law, all raffles in the state must be regulated by the state government. The raffle also violates the state's consumer protection laws because "deceptive, vague, or misleading statements that may cause confusion or misunderstanding" were used.
Philadelphia prosecutor Larry Krasner, who filed the lawsuit, said in a statement released this Monday that the district attorney's office is responsible for protecting the public from public nuisance and unfair trade practices, including illegal raffles, and also responsible for preventing public interference in the fairness of elections.
An article on Wall Street News last week stated that Musk's support for Trump may be his boldest gamble to date. From satellites to self-driving cars, from brain chips to AI robots, Musk's technologies face significant regulatory obstacles before going public. If Trump wins, Musk will gain immense influence over regulatory agencies.
The article mentioned that Musk's giveaways have attracted more and more criticism, sparking legal controversies as well. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro stated that law enforcement should consider whether Musk's giveaways violate election laws. Legal scholar Richard Hasen, who studies election law, said Musk's promise violates the core provision in US federal elections that prohibits the purchase of votes.
Last week, CNN learned that the US Department of Justice's Public Integrity Section, responsible for handling cases related to the New Anju lawsuit, has written to America PAC, warning that the committee's daily distribution of $1 million may violate federal law. It is currently unclear what action the Department of Justice may take if the situation is confirmed to be true.
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