Million Dollars for Swing State Voters? Experts Raise Vote Bribery Concerns
In a stunning move, Elon Musk has pledged to give away millions of dollars each day to voters in swing states, raising questions and concerns from experts about possible vote bribery. According to Reuters, during a Trump campaign event over the weekend, the Tesla CEO announced that he would be donating millions daily to supporters of First and Second Amendment petitions leading up to Election Day.
During the event, Musk stated:
âWe aim to get over 1 million, maybe even 2 million voters from key swing states to sign petitions in support of the First and Second Amendments⊠Between now and the election, we will be randomly distributing $1 million each day to people who sign these petitions."
The First and Second Amendments protect free speech and the right to bear arms. To qualify for the $1 million prize, petition signers must be registered voters and reside in one of seven key battleground states: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, as outlined on the PACâs website.
The petition also promises $100 to every registered Pennsylvania voter who signs and an additional $100 to those who refer a registered voter to sign the petition.
At an event in Harrisburg, PA, hosted by America PAC, a group founded by Musk to support Donald Trumpâs presidential campaign, Musk handed a $1 million check to a man named John Dreher, stating:
"By the way, John had no prior knowledge of this. You're welcome."
According to a tweet from the US Political Action Committee on the X platform, Musk awarded a second $1 million check to a woman during a Sunday event in Pittsburgh.
Legal and Ethical Concerns Raised
Musk's voter giveaways have come under heavy scrutiny, with many questioning the legality of his actions. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro expressed concerns during an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press," calling on law enforcement to investigate the situation, describing it as "troubling."
Derek Muller, an election law expert from Notre Dame Law School, highlighted that limiting the rewards to registered voters appears to create a direct exchange of cash for voter registration, which may lead to accusations of vote bribery. However, Muller noted that vote-buying laws are seldom enforced, and the Supreme Court has been progressively narrowing the scope of bribery-related prosecutions.
Similarly, David Becker, a former Justice Department official and founder of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, remarked that offering rewards exclusively to registered voters in key swing states could raise legal issues. He emphasized that Muskâs actions seem intended to influence the upcoming election and could violate election laws.
The timing of this offer, just ahead of critical voter registration deadlines, suggests an attempt to rapidly increase voter registration in these battleground states. Moreover, the US Political Action Committee could use this initiative to collect voter contact information, which might then be leveraged to mobilize support for Trumpâs campaign.
