Judge sets hearing on $1M-a-day sweepstakes from Elon Musk PAC helping Donald Trump

PHILADELPHIA — A Philadelphia judge will hold a hearing Thursday morning in the state attorney general’s attempt to close Elon Musk’s facility $1 Million-a-Day Sweepstakes in battle zones. The giveaways come from Musk’s political organization, which aims to boost Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Democrat, filed a complaint Monday to halt the America PAC sweepstakes, which will run through Election Day. Judge Angelo Foglietta will hear motions on the matter in a courtroom at City Hall.

Matthew Haverstick, one of several attorneys representing the defendants, declined to say late Wednesday whether Musk would attend the hearing.

The lottery is open to people in battleground states who sign a petition in support of the Constitution.

Krasner has said he may still consider criminal charges because he is tasked with protecting the public from both illegal lotteries and “interference with the integrity of elections.”

Voting law experts have raised questions about whether this violates federal law that prohibits someone from paying others to vote. Musk has viewed the money as both a prize and income for his work as the group’s spokesman.

Krasner said in the lawsuit that America PAC and Musk “unquestionably violate Pennsylvania’s statutory prohibitions against illegal lotteries and deceive consumers.”

Both Trump and Harris have visited the state repeatedly as they compete for Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes.

Musk, who founded SpaceX And Tesla and owns X, has gone all-in on Trump this election and says he thinks civilization is at stake if he loses. He undertakes much of the effort to get out the vote for Trump through his super PAC, which can raise and spend unlimited sums of money.

He has committed more than $70 million to the super PAC to help Trump and other Republicans win in November.