Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has raised concerns over Elon Musk’s pledge to give away $1 million to registered voters in the state who sign his super PAC’s petition. The governor expressed worries about the flow of “dark money” into Pennsylvania and into the pockets of Pennsylvanians through Musk’s initiative. He called for law enforcement to investigate the matter during an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press.
Musk’s announcement of the $1 million giveaways came just a day before, where he stated that he would randomly select one person daily, until the November 5 election, who has signed the petition supporting the First Amendment and the Second Amendment. The first recipient of the giveaway was identified as John Dreher during an event in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
The signees eligible for the daily $1 million could be selected from several states including Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, or North Carolina. Musk, a prominent figure in the tech industry with companies like Tesla and SpaceX, has been vocal in his support for former President Donald Trump, having already contributed at least $70 million to support Trump’s campaign.
However, experts in election laws have raised concerns about the legality of linking cash giveaways to petition signing and voter registration. Governor Shapiro acknowledged Musk’s right to express his views but highlighted the potential issues raised by significant financial contributions to political campaigns.
While federal authorities’ stance on the matter remains unclear, Shapiro’s call for a closer look at Musk’s initiative has sparked a wider conversation about the intersection of money and politics. The Independent reached out to Musk for comment on the situation.