A court in the US city of Philadelphia has ordered Elon Musk to attend a hearing on Thursday over the election-related lottery that he launched earlier this month. The tech mogul said the initiative is aimed at mobilizing voters in swing states, while the lawsuit alleges that the initiative has participants “make a political pledge.”
With the November 5 presidential election fast approaching, polls indicate that Republican Donald Trump and his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, are running neck-and-neck in three battleground states – Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. These three states, along with Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, and Nevada, are expected to decide the outcome of the race.
On Wednesday, a judge in Philadelphia issued a summons to Musk and several other individuals, stating that “it is further ordered that all parties must be present at the time of the hearing” scheduled for October 31.
On Monday, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Democrat, announced that it had “filed a civil legal action” over the entrepreneur’s “illegal” lottery. According to the lawsuit, America PAC, a political action committee, and Musk “are lulling Philadelphia citizens – and others in the Commonwealth (and other swing states in the upcoming election) – to give up their personal identifying information and make a political pledge in exchange for the chance to win $1 million.”
The authorities also noted that it is their duty to protect the “public from interference with the integrity of elections.”
The SpaceX and Tesla CEO launched his initiative earlier this month, focusing on swing states. He promised to award $1 million each day to a registered voter who signs his online petition on defending “free speech and the right to bear arms,” which are enshrined in the US Constitution.
While Democrats generally seek to limit the right to possess weapons, the Republicans, by contrast, tend to be staunch advocates of the Second Amendment right to bear arms.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a prominent Democrat, described Musk’s actions as “deeply concerning” and warranting law enforcement scrutiny.
Musk, who previously positioned himself as politically neutral, publicly endorsed the Republican nominee shortly after the failed assassination attempt on Trump on July 13. Earlier this month, the US-based billionaire revealed that he had donated $75 million to the America PAC, which he founded himself back in July. The organization says it aims to bolster turnout for Trump in battleground states.