A judge has ordered all parties, including Elon Musk, to attend a court hearing in Philadelphia on Thursday regarding a lawsuit aimed at halting a political action committee controlled by the billionaire from awarding $1 million to registered voters in battleground states ahead of the November 5 U.S. election.
The lawsuit, filed by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office on Monday, claims that the giveaway from Musk’s America PAC which supports former President Donald Trump constitutes an “illegal lottery” that encourages Pennsylvania residents to disclose personal information.
In an order issued on Wednesday by the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, the judge emphasized that all parties must be present for the hearing, which was rescheduled from Friday to Thursday morning.
Trump is set to face Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in a closely contested race for the White House, as indicated by recent polls.
A spokesperson for America PAC has yet to respond to requests for comment, and Musk’s representatives have also not provided any statements.
Musk has pledged to give away $1 million each day to individuals who sign his online petition advocating for free speech and gun rights. Legal experts consulted by Reuters last week expressed differing opinions on whether this giveaway breaches federal laws that prohibit paying or offering payments to individuals for voter registration.
Additionally, the Justice Department reportedly sent a letter to America PAC warning that Musk’s initiative could potentially violate federal law, as reported by CNN.
The Trump campaign is heavily reliant on external groups for voter outreach, making Musk’s super PAC backed by the world’s richest man a significant player in what is anticipated to be a very close election.
