SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk awarded Kristine Fishell with a $1 million check during a town hall at the Roxain Theater on October 20, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Watchdog Files FEC Complaint Over Elon Musk Effort to Buy Voters
Musk's latest attempt to aid Donald Trump "appears to veer smack dab into violating federal law against paying people to register and vote," said Public Citizen.
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk may be able to "throw his money around in an attempt to directly influence the outcome of this election," as one legal expert said of his latest ploy to help Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, but consumer advocacy watchdog Public Citizen on Wednesday said Musk has crossed a legal line in recent days by offering voters direct cash payments in exchange for signing a petition.
The group filed a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) over Musk's pledge to award a randomly selected registered voter in a swing state with $1 million each day until Election Day, if they sign a petition in favor of the First and Second Amendments.
The offer is only open to people in Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, and North Carolina, and those who are selected must become registered voters before signing the petition, which was launched by Musk's America PAC.
The requirement that prospective winners of Musk's lottery register to vote violates 52 U.S.C. §10307(c), Public Citizen said. The law reads in part that anyone who "pays or offers to pay or accepts payment either for registration to vote or for voting shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both."
"Elon Musk's behavior is just the latest—and most egregious—example of wealthy special interests distorting our political process at the expense of everyday voters."
So far, Musk has given four people—two in Pennsylvania and one in North Carolina—checks for $1 million.
"Elon Musk's $1 million giveaway to registered voters—and only registered voters—in swing states is a not-so-disguised attempt to buy votes and it appears to veer smack dab into violating federal law against paying people to register and vote," said Craig Holman, government affairs lobbyist for Public Citizen. "Public Citizen is filing a complaint with the Federal Election Commission challenging Musk's latest denigration of the right to vote freely and fairly."
Legal experts also raised alarm in August after CNBC reported America PAC was collecting personal information from people in battleground states with a website that appeared to help them register to vote—but didn't.
Musk's ties to Trump's campaign have also prompted the United Auto Workers to file federal labor charges against both men after they released an interview on X, Musk's social media platform, in which Trump praised the billionaire for firing striking workers. Their comments, said the UAW, amounted to "illegal attempts to threaten and intimidate workers who stand up for themselves by engaging in protected concerted activity, such as strikes."
On Monday, Campaign Legal Center executive director Adav Noti said the Biden administration should take action against Musk's offer to pay people to register in swing states.
"Elon Musk's behavior is just the latest—and most egregious—example of wealthy special interests distorting our political process at the expense of everyday voters," said Noti. "It is illegal to buy votes, it is illegal to buy voter registration, and the Department of Justice has the power to enforce these important laws through civil or criminal action."
Urgent. It's never been this bad.
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission from the outset was simple. To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It’s never been this bad out there. And it’s never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed and doing some of its best and most important work, the threats we face are intensifying. Right now, with just two days to go in our Spring Campaign, we're falling short of our make-or-break goal. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Can you make a gift right now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? There is no backup plan or rainy day fund. There is only you. —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk may be able to "throw his money around in an attempt to directly influence the outcome of this election," as one legal expert said of his latest ploy to help Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, but consumer advocacy watchdog Public Citizen on Wednesday said Musk has crossed a legal line in recent days by offering voters direct cash payments in exchange for signing a petition.
The group filed a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) over Musk's pledge to award a randomly selected registered voter in a swing state with $1 million each day until Election Day, if they sign a petition in favor of the First and Second Amendments.
The offer is only open to people in Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, and North Carolina, and those who are selected must become registered voters before signing the petition, which was launched by Musk's America PAC.
The requirement that prospective winners of Musk's lottery register to vote violates 52 U.S.C. §10307(c), Public Citizen said. The law reads in part that anyone who "pays or offers to pay or accepts payment either for registration to vote or for voting shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both."
"Elon Musk's behavior is just the latest—and most egregious—example of wealthy special interests distorting our political process at the expense of everyday voters."
So far, Musk has given four people—two in Pennsylvania and one in North Carolina—checks for $1 million.
"Elon Musk's $1 million giveaway to registered voters—and only registered voters—in swing states is a not-so-disguised attempt to buy votes and it appears to veer smack dab into violating federal law against paying people to register and vote," said Craig Holman, government affairs lobbyist for Public Citizen. "Public Citizen is filing a complaint with the Federal Election Commission challenging Musk's latest denigration of the right to vote freely and fairly."
Legal experts also raised alarm in August after CNBC reported America PAC was collecting personal information from people in battleground states with a website that appeared to help them register to vote—but didn't.
Musk's ties to Trump's campaign have also prompted the United Auto Workers to file federal labor charges against both men after they released an interview on X, Musk's social media platform, in which Trump praised the billionaire for firing striking workers. Their comments, said the UAW, amounted to "illegal attempts to threaten and intimidate workers who stand up for themselves by engaging in protected concerted activity, such as strikes."
On Monday, Campaign Legal Center executive director Adav Noti said the Biden administration should take action against Musk's offer to pay people to register in swing states.
"Elon Musk's behavior is just the latest—and most egregious—example of wealthy special interests distorting our political process at the expense of everyday voters," said Noti. "It is illegal to buy votes, it is illegal to buy voter registration, and the Department of Justice has the power to enforce these important laws through civil or criminal action."
- 'How Is This Legal?' Elon Musk's Pro-Trump Super PAC Accused of Voter Deception ›
- With $75 Million Gift, Musk Joins Right-Wing Billionaires Bankrolling Trump Campaign ›
- Trump Backer Elon Musk Accused of 'Clearly Illegal Vote-Buying' ›
- Elon Musk Touts Arrival of 'Men' to Usher Fascist Trump to Victory | Common Dreams ›
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk may be able to "throw his money around in an attempt to directly influence the outcome of this election," as one legal expert said of his latest ploy to help Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, but consumer advocacy watchdog Public Citizen on Wednesday said Musk has crossed a legal line in recent days by offering voters direct cash payments in exchange for signing a petition.
The group filed a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) over Musk's pledge to award a randomly selected registered voter in a swing state with $1 million each day until Election Day, if they sign a petition in favor of the First and Second Amendments.
The offer is only open to people in Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, and North Carolina, and those who are selected must become registered voters before signing the petition, which was launched by Musk's America PAC.
The requirement that prospective winners of Musk's lottery register to vote violates 52 U.S.C. §10307(c), Public Citizen said. The law reads in part that anyone who "pays or offers to pay or accepts payment either for registration to vote or for voting shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both."
"Elon Musk's behavior is just the latest—and most egregious—example of wealthy special interests distorting our political process at the expense of everyday voters."
So far, Musk has given four people—two in Pennsylvania and one in North Carolina—checks for $1 million.
"Elon Musk's $1 million giveaway to registered voters—and only registered voters—in swing states is a not-so-disguised attempt to buy votes and it appears to veer smack dab into violating federal law against paying people to register and vote," said Craig Holman, government affairs lobbyist for Public Citizen. "Public Citizen is filing a complaint with the Federal Election Commission challenging Musk's latest denigration of the right to vote freely and fairly."
Legal experts also raised alarm in August after CNBC reported America PAC was collecting personal information from people in battleground states with a website that appeared to help them register to vote—but didn't.
Musk's ties to Trump's campaign have also prompted the United Auto Workers to file federal labor charges against both men after they released an interview on X, Musk's social media platform, in which Trump praised the billionaire for firing striking workers. Their comments, said the UAW, amounted to "illegal attempts to threaten and intimidate workers who stand up for themselves by engaging in protected concerted activity, such as strikes."
On Monday, Campaign Legal Center executive director Adav Noti said the Biden administration should take action against Musk's offer to pay people to register in swing states.
"Elon Musk's behavior is just the latest—and most egregious—example of wealthy special interests distorting our political process at the expense of everyday voters," said Noti. "It is illegal to buy votes, it is illegal to buy voter registration, and the Department of Justice has the power to enforce these important laws through civil or criminal action."
- 'How Is This Legal?' Elon Musk's Pro-Trump Super PAC Accused of Voter Deception ›
- With $75 Million Gift, Musk Joins Right-Wing Billionaires Bankrolling Trump Campaign ›
- Trump Backer Elon Musk Accused of 'Clearly Illegal Vote-Buying' ›
- Elon Musk Touts Arrival of 'Men' to Usher Fascist Trump to Victory | Common Dreams ›