Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner filed a civil lawsuit against Elon Musk and America PAC on Monday. The complaint alleges that the petition, which purports to pay registered voters in Pennsylvania, constitutes an illegal lottery ticket.
In the complaint, Krasner alleges the petition violates state lottery laws by organizing an unauthorized lottery. Additionally, Krasner argues that unauthorized lottery operations are a “common nuisance” that undermines the integrity of the Pennsylvania Lottery and stimulates Pennsylvanians’ gambling instincts. The complaint also adds that the petition interferes with Pennsylvanians’ right to vote by encouraging “pervasive conduct” and undermines the integrity of the voting process. Therefore, Mr. Krasner is asking the court to issue an injunction blocking the petition.
“The civil action does not preclude or require future litigation under Pennsylvania criminal law,” Krasner said in a press statement. The civil suit is currently in its early stages, but Krasner plans to fight the issue in court.
This petition asks people to sign in support of the First and Second Amendments. Musk announced that he could win $1 million if one voter signs a petition every day until Election Day. Since then, he has offered financial incentives to other voters to sign on and refer more voters. The program is only available to voters in certain battleground states, including Georgia, Arizona and Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro had previously expressed concerns about the petition. In an interview with Meet the Press, Shapiro characterized the petition as “very concerning” and “something that law enforcement may consider.” In a post on X, Musk responded to Governor Shapiro’s interview and claimed he was “concerned that he would say something like that.”
Rick Hasen, a political science professor at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, argued that the petition is “clearly illegal” because it requires signers to be registered voters to receive compensation. . To support his argument, Hasen turned to federal law that prohibits individuals from paying to register to vote.
Meanwhile, former Federal Election Commission Chairman Brad Smith echoed similar sentiments, saying, “He’s not paying them to register to vote. He’s not paying them to sign petitions. There may be some ambiguity in the law, but because the case has been filed, the court can give a clear answer as to the legality of the petition.
