Elon Musk awards a $1 million check during a town hall at the Roxain Theater in Pittsburgh. Photographer: Michael Swensen/Getty Images The civil lawsuit is the first official legal challenge that Musk has faced over the program. Legal experts have questioned the lawfulness of the effort since it was announced, and last week the US Department of Justice sent Musks’s PAC a letter warning that it might violate federal law.
Musk’s pro-Trump America PAC had been giving away $1 million every day until Election Day on Nov. 5 to a randomly selected signatory of a petition calling for free speech and the right to bear arms. The winner must be a registered voter. The contest doesn’t specify which candidate voters should cast their ballots for.
After the lawsuit was filed, a spokesman for the PAC pointed to a social-media post highlighting that the giveaway is continuing. An email to Musk’s lawyer wasn’t immediately returned.
Krasner says that the giveaway violates state lottery and consumer protection laws. Since launching the sweepstakes, Musk’s PAC has given $1 million checks to nine people, four of whom live in Pennsylvania, according to the lawsuit.
The case is Commenwealth of Pennsylvania by District Attorney Lawrence Krasner v. America PAC and Elon Musk, Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas.