The Biden-Harris Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued a warning to Elon Musk’s America PAC, cautioning that it may be violating laws prohibiting payments or incentives to influence voting. The warning was conveyed in a letter from Robert Heberle, who leads the DOJ’s election crimes branch, to America PAC’s attorney Chris Gober, and emphasized that offering anything of value to sway voting decisions contravenes federal laws.
There are no immediate legal actions indicated in the warning. However, Heberle outlines potential penalties for violating U.S. voting laws, including fines and imprisonment for up to five years. This comes as Musk, a technology industry billionaire and significant supporter of former President Donald J. Trump, has been promoting a $1 million sweepstakes targeting registered voters in swing states. The initiative, presented through the super PAC’s account on Musk’s social media platform X (formerly Twitter) and at rallies, asks registered voters to sign a petition in support of the First and Second Amendments.
Election law experts have raised concerns about the legality of the sweepstakes’ requirements. On his blog, seasoned election law expert Rick Hasen suggested that participants needing to demonstrate their voter registration could likely contravene voting regulations.
The DOJ is yet to publicly comment on the situation. Representatives from America PAC have repeatedly maintained that the $1 million sweepstakes contest is legal and in accordance with U.S. election laws.