Elon Musk is stirring up major controversy right now with his daily million-dollar giveaways in Pennsylvania. Sounds like a dream come true, right? Not quite. The sweepstakes is part of a political push, linked to a petition that backs the Constitution and Trump—pretty on-brand for Musk, given his recent political stances.
But as it turns out, throwing around cash tied to elections isn’t exactly a smooth move legally.
Shapiro has been on the campaign trail for Vice President Kamala Harris in recent weeks. Musk, has been hosting town hall meetings in Pennsylvania after endorsing President Donald Trump.
Musk’s $1 million-a-day giveaway is raising a lot of eyebrows, particularly with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who isn’t just sitting quietly on this one. He’s flagged it as something law enforcement should definitely look into. After all, we’re talking about a state that could decide the whole election! Shapiro’s background as a former attorney general makes his concern hit different—he knows the law like the back of his hand. He’s also a key player in VP Kamala Harris’s campaign, so you know the stakes are high.
Now, here’s where it gets sticky: UCLA law professor Richard Hasen is out here saying the whole setup is “clearly illegal.” His argument? It violates federal election law by dangling a financial carrot in front of voters, which could sway people who might not have been planning to vote. Think about it—who wouldn’t be tempted by a cool million?
The problem lies in a tricky part of the law: it’s illegal to offer something of value in exchange for a vote or voter registration.
Even though Musk isn’t directly telling people how to vote, Hasen says the fact that you have to be a registered voter to even be eligible for the money makes this feel a little too much like a “pay-to-play” scheme. And that’s a big no-no under U.S. Code 52, which basically says that voting should be a free choice—free from financial incentives or pressure.
With Pennsylvania being a battleground state, this sweepstakes is not just a quirky PR stunt; it could have real consequences. Whether it’s truly illegal or not, it’s bound to heat up the conversation around what’s fair when it comes to elections.
In the meantime, people are cashing in those million-dollar checks like it’s Christmas in October. Stay tuned for the legal fallout—this story is just getting started!
