Judge sets hearing on $1M-a-day sweepstakes from Elon Musk PAC helping Donald Trump

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A Philadelphia judge has group a proceeding Thursday greeting successful nan metropolis prosecutor’s bid to unopen down Elon Musk’s $1 million-a-day sweepstakes successful battleground states. The giveaways travel from Musk’s governmental organization, which intends to boost Donald Trump’s statesmanlike campaign.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Democrat, filed suit Monday to extremity nan America PAC sweepstakes, which is group to tally done Election Day. Judge Angelo Foglietta will perceive motions connected nan rumor successful a City Hall courtroom.

Matthew Haverstick, 1 of respective lawyers representing nan defendants, declined to opportunity precocious Wednesday if Musk would be nan hearing.

The sweepstakes is unfastened to group successful battleground states who motion a petition supporting nan Constitution.

Krasner has said he could still see criminal charges, saying he is tasked pinch protecting nan nationalist from some forbidden lotteries and “interference pinch nan integrity of elections.”

Election rule experts person raised questions astir whether it violates national rule barring personification from paying others to vote. Musk has formed nan money arsenic some a prize arsenic good arsenic net for activity arsenic a spokesperson for nan group.

Krasner, successful nan suit, said that America PAC and Musk “are indisputably violating Pennsylvania’s statutory prohibitions against forbidden lotteries and deceiving consumers.”

Both Trump and Harris person made repeated visits to nan authorities arsenic they conflict for Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes.

Musk, who founded SpaceX and Tesla and owns X, has gone each successful connected Trump this election, saying he thinks civilization is astatine liking if he loses. He is undertaking overmuch of nan get-out-the-vote effort for Trump done his ace PAC, which tin raise and walk unlimited sums of money.

He has committed more than $70 cardinal to nan ace PAC to thief Trump and different Republicans triumph successful November.