Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro Urges Scrutiny of Elon Musk’s $1 Million Voter Payments

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has raised alarms over Elon Musk’s new plan to offer $1 million daily to randomly selected registered voters in Pennsylvania. Speaking on NBC News’ Meet the Press, Shapiro stated that law enforcement should "take a look" at the tech billionaire’s actions, which he described as "deeply concerning."

Musk, who has voiced strong support for former President Donald Trump, launched this initiative on Saturday through his super PAC. The PAC has been gathering signatures for a petition supporting free speech and gun rights, with signing being a requirement for participation in the $1 million lottery. At a rally over the weekend, Musk awarded the first $1 million check to an attendee onstage, further raising eyebrows.

Shapiro clarified that his objections are not driven by political differences with Musk, despite their contrasting stances. "Musk obviously has a right to be able to express his views," said Shapiro, noting their disagreement over Trump. "I don’t deny him that right, but when you start flowing this kind of money into politics, it raises serious questions."

Election law experts have also expressed concerns about the legality of Musk’s offer. Rick Hasen, a professor of law at UCLA and director of the Safeguarding Democracy Project, called the payments “clearly illegal.” In a blog post, Hasen pointed to federal law 52 U.S.C. 10307(c), which prohibits making payments to individuals for registering to vote or voting. Violating this law could result in fines of up to $10,000 or imprisonment for up to five years.

“The problem here is that Musk’s PAC is offering money exclusively to registered voters, creating a lottery that could be illegal,” Hasen explained. He noted that election laws are designed to prevent individuals from buying votes, even indirectly. "You don’t have to demand that someone vote for a particular candidate to break this law."

While it’s unclear whether federal authorities are investigating Musk's actions, Hasen argued that the payments should be deterred, suggesting that Musk could face prosecution or be issued a warning to stop the practice.

Musk and representatives for his super PAC have not yet responded to requests for comment.