Musk sued over $1 million election giveaway
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Elon Musk in Folsom, Pa., last month. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Elon Musk and his pro-Trump super PAC were sued on Tuesday by two swing state voters who accused them of fraud in separate lawsuits.
The big picture: Both lawsuits cite the billionaire's attorney stating Monday in a Pennsylvania case that allowed a daily $1 million sweepstakes to proceed that the winners were earning payment for acting as spokespeople and were not chosen at random.
Driving the news: Arizona resident Jacqueline McAferty filed a proposed class-action lawsuit in federal court in Austin, Texas, alleging Musk and his America PAC "profited" from the contest by driving traffic to Musk's X social media platform and collecting personal data that could be sold.
- Michigan resident Robert Anthony Alvarez, who identifies himself in his suit as a supporter of Vice President Harris, claims the contest was billed as a "nonpartisan giveaway.
- He adds in the suit: "A closer look at the recipients of the $1 million prize shows a clear pattern: that the selection not only is not random, but is a targeted process that eliminates anyone who is not a Republican or vocal supporter of former President Trump."
Zoom out: Musk pledged to give away $1 million daily to registered voters in battleground states who signed a petition supporting free speech and the right to own firearms launched by his PAC.
- The giveaway went ahead after the Justice Department notified America PAC in a letter that the lottery could violate federal law against paying people to register to vote.
- Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner (D) argued in his lawsuit that the giveaway was an illegal lottery, but a Common Pleas Court judge denied his request on Tuesday.
- Representatives for Musk did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.
Go deeper: Elon Musk's million-dollar voter giveaways baffle experts
