The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has alerted Elon Musk’s America PAC that their recently announced $1 million giveaways might break federal laws.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the DOJ’s Public Integrity Section addressed a letter to the pro-Trump group on Wednesday, highlighting the possibility that these giveaways could infringe upon a law prohibiting monetary incentives for voter registration.
The sweepstakes kicked off on Saturday, requiring participants to be registered voters in seven key battleground states and sign the PAC’s petition advocating for free speech and gun rights.
The initial three million-dollar prizes were awarded to voters in Pennsylvania, which Gov. Josh Shapiro called “deeply concerning.”
The PAC’s lottery drew immediate attention from campaign finance experts and legal authorities, who questioned its alignment with election regulations.
Nearly a dozen public officials penned a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry on Monday, urging investigation into the PAC’s financial incentives.
“We are aware of nothing like this in modern political history,” the letter stated, according to The Washington Post.
The officials pointed out the DOJ’s longstanding position that anything with monetary value, including a sweepstakes, might be deemed an illegal payment for voter registration.
On Sunday, the PAC altered the language of the giveaway, to describe the payments as earnings, rather than winnings, according to CNN. The officials who raised concerns about Musk’s sweepstakes raised concerns about the change in language.
“We recognize that they are framed as payments for signing a petition, or for referring voters who sign,” the letter continued. “But many of the payments are restricted to registered voters, so anyone who wishes to get paid must first register.”
On Wednesday, the PAC did not announce the winner of its $1 million prize.
