Federal law enforcement officials have put tech mogul Elon Musk on notice, warning the Tesla and X boss that his America PAC may be breaking the law with its $1 million giveaways to registered voters in swing states, according to a report.
The Harris-Biden Justice Department’s public integrity section, which oversees election law, recently sent a letter to Musk, 53, informing him that the high-dollar enticement to battleground voters tosign his petition backing freedom of speech and the right to bear arms might be illegal, CNN reported.
Since Oct. 19, Musk has been doling out prizes to lucky swing state signatories, who must be registered to cast a ballot to be eligible for the giveaway.
“Whoever … pays or offers to pay or accepts payment either for registration to vote or for voting shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both,” the federal code states.
The South Africa-born Musk had vowed to hand out the seven-figure prizes until Election Day.
“We want to try to get over a million, maybe 2 million voters in the battleground states to sign the petition in support of the First and Second Amendment,” Musk explained Saturday, when he unveiled the sweepstakes during a campaign stop in Harrisburg, Pa.
The Keystone State’s Democratic governor and former attorney general, Josh Shapiro, called the giveaway “deeply concerning” and suggested to NBC News’ “Meet The Press” Sunday that “it’s something that law enforcement could take a look at.”
“Concerning that he would say such a thing,” Musk shot back on X.
The billionaire has also shrugged off allegations that he was paying people to register to vote, replying, “You can be from any or no political party and you don’t even have to vote” to get the prize.
The first three recipients of the $1 million prize were registered Republicans who have already voted by mail, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported this week.
Musk endorsed former President Donald Trump following the July 13 assassination attempt against him during a Butler, Pa. campaign rally, formed the America PAC later that same month, and stumped with the 45th president when Trump returned to Butler Oct. 5.
Trump, 78, has actively floated Musk for a position on a commission to boost government efficiency and root out waste.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
