Billionaire Elon Musk said Saturday that he will be awarding $1 million a day until the election to one randomly selected person who has signed America PAC's petition pledging to uphold the right to free speech and the right to bear arms.
Musk founded America PAC to register voters in swing states and persuade them to vote for Republican Donald Trump. The splashy move by the Tesla and SpaceX founder stakes out uncharted territory in American politics.
Musk made the announcement at a rally in Harrisburg, Pa., and gave the first check to an audience member. "One of the challenges we're having is, like, how do we get people to know about this petition?" said Musk. "This news I think is going to really fly."
America PAC's account on X said the offer is available to registered Pennsylvania voters who sign the petition. The group had previously unveiled an offer of $100 for Pennsylvania voters who signed the petition, and $47 for voters from other battleground states including Michigan and Wisconsin. The petition reads: "By signing below, I am pledging my support for the First and Second Amendments."
Musk poured $75 million into America PAC in the three months through September, according to federal filings.
Ahead of the new $1 million announcement, election-law specialists had been divided on whether offering rewards for signing the petition -- open only to registered voters -- overstepped the law by providing an incentive to register. A Musk attorney didn't immediately respond to a request for comment about the matter late Saturday.
It is a federal crime to pay people with the intention of inducing or rewarding them to cast a vote or to get registered, an offense punishable by prison time. The prohibition covers not only monetary expenditures, but also anything of monetary value like "liquor, lottery chances, and welfare benefits," a Justice Department election-crimes manual says.
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