Elon Musk has paused his daily $1 million giveaway for Pennsylvania voters after warnings from the Justice Department.
Speculations quickly emerged from legal experts claiming that the billionaire’s initiative to get out the vote for Donald Trump was highly illegal considering it is against the law to give away money to sway voters or get them to register to vote.
The DOJ sent a letter notifying Musk’s pro-Trump group America PAC that its lottery is possibly in violation of federal law, according to multiple reports.
Musk vowed to give away $1 million every day to registered voters in swing states who sign the super PAC’s petition in favor of the First and Second Amendments.
Ever since Saturday there have been daily public announcements for the giveaway – three in Pennsylvania and one in North Carolina.
But the SpaceX, Tesla and X CEO did not announce a winner on Wednesday or Thursday after receiving the DOJ alert.
After the assassination attempt on Trump at his Butler, Pennsylvania rally on July 15, Musk decided to officially endorse the former president.
Trump has also thrown out the possibility that Musk could lead a government committee focused on slashing regulation if he wins another term.
Musk has become one of the Republican Party’s largest mega donors after funneling millions into Trump’s campaign.
The world’s richest man gave $75 million in three months and has become an increasingly influential voice in the GOP.
Musk defended his giveaway as critics claimed it was a ploy to ‘pay to register Republican,’ and said anyone was free to enter regardless of party affiliation.
Democrats have called for Musk to be investigated over the matter.
‘All you need to do is sign the … petition in support of the Constitutional rights to free speech & bear arms to have a daily chance of winning $1,000,000!’ Musk wrote on his social media platform X.
‘You can be from any or no political party and you don’t even have to vote.’
Those who pay people to register to vote can face fines of $10,000 and/or five years in prison.
Some experts say that Musk’s lottery falls within a gray area of the law, while defenders claim Musk isn’t paying to register people to vote but to sign a petition. The sweepstakes are only open to registered voters.