Pennsylvania Judge Approves Musk's $1M Sweepstake Election Giveaway

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Facts

  • Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas Judge Angelo Foglietta has ruled that Elon Musk's daily $1M giveaway can continue following a lawsuit from Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner.[1][2]
  • Those eligible for the giveaway had to be registered voters in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, or Wisconsin, who signed a petition to support gun rights and free speech. As of Nov. 5, Musk had selected 18 winners and awarded $16M.[3][4]
  • Krasner's lawsuit had alleged that the sweepstakes, organized by Musk's America PAC, is an "illegal lottery scheme" that violates Pennsylvania's consumer protection laws and could interfere with the integrity of elections.[5]
  • Earlier this week, America PAC director Chris Young testified that the giveaway was not actually random, as Musk had previously stated, but rather selected from candidates whose "values aligned" with the PAC and had appeared in America PAC videos.[6][7]
  • While Judge Foglietta did not immediately explain the decision to deny Krasner's Emergency Petition for Preliminary Injunctive Relief, the court document stated that "Finding of Fact" and "Conclusions of Law" will be released at a later date.[8]
  • The giveaway, which began last month and was also questioned by the Department of Justice as potentially in violation of federal election law, is set to end on Tuesday, Election Day. The final winner will be from Michigan.[5][9]

Sources: [1]CNN, [2]FOX News, [3]Newsweek, [4]New York Post, [5]Verity, [6]Reuters, [7]Daily Wire, [8]PA Courts and [9]BBC News.

Narratives

  • Democratic narrative, as provided by Forbes and NBC. In defending the legality of the giveaway in court, Musk and his PAC have been forced to admit that the scheme was nothing more than a convoluted payout to MAGA supporters in an attempt to promote Donald Trump's presidential campaign. Despite this civil lawsuit being denied, this arguably illegal election scheme could still result in criminal charges against Musk.
  • Republican narrative, as provided by The Gateway Pundit and Washington Examiner. Ultra-progressive, Soros-backed Krasner cares more about suppressing Musk than he does about fixing Philadelphia's rising crime epidemic. This decision is a big political victory for Musk, who continues to face unfair scrutiny by the media and the Democratic establishment for his political views. Maybe Krasner will one day prioritize American freedoms the way Musk does.