- Elon Musk's $1 million giveaway program funded by America PAC has faced significant criticism and legal challenges.
- Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner filed a lawsuit on Oct. 28, alleging that the giveaway violated Pennsylvania's lottery and consumer protection laws and sought to influence voters in the 2024 presidential election.
- Despite the lawsuit, a Philadelphia judge allowed the giveaway to proceed, ruling that America PAC did not meet Pennsylvania's legal definition of a lottery. However, the multi-step selection process revealed by America PAC's treasurer further fueled suspicions of bias.
- The program faced criticism over the selection process, with winners allegedly not being chosen randomly but instead favored individuals with ties to Trump's campaign,
- The final winner, Tyler VanAkin, was also a consultant for Trump's 2024 campaign. Financial records show that VanAkin received payments for his political work, leading to doubts about whether the $1 million was a genuine lottery win or compensation for political services.
Billionaire tech mogul and self-proclaimed champion of free speech Elon Musk has found himself embroiled in yet another controversy. This time, it's over his $1 million giveaway program.
According to critics, the "lottery" was less about rewarding everyday Americans and more about rigging the system to benefit allies of President-elect Donald Trump. The program funded through the pro-Trump political action committee America PAC has drawn sharp criticism and legal challenges – including a lawsuit from Philadelphia District Attorney (DA) Larry Krasner.
Initially marketed as a lottery, the giveaway announced in October promised daily cash prizes of up to $1 million to registered voters in swing states who signed an online petition supporting the First and Second Amendments. Krasner challenged this in an Oct. 28 lawsuit, accusing Musk of running an illegal lottery in Pennsylvania. (Related: Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner sues Elon Musk over X founder's $1M giveaway.)
The DA alleged that the lottery violated the Keystone State's laws on lotteries and consumer protection. Krasner dubbed it an illegal scheme designed to influence voters ahead of the Nov. 5 presidential election that saw Trump win a second term. "Running an illegal lottery and violating consumer protections is ample basis for an injunction and concluding that America PAC and Musk must be stopped," the DA said in his lawsuit.
Krasner’s legal challenge highlighted several issues, including the lack of transparency in the selection process and the failure to publish a complete set of lottery rules. Despite these allegations, Judge Angelo Foglietta of Philadelphia's Court of Common Pleas allowed the giveaway to proceed. He ruled that the America PAC did not meet the legal definition of a lottery under Pennsylvania law.
Questions of bias in Musk lottery emerge
The Oct. 28 lawsuit also alleged that the winners were not chosen randomly as Musk had claimed, but were instead individuals with ties to Trump's campaign. "Though Musk says that a winner's selection is 'random,' that appears false because multiple winners that have been selected are individuals who have shown up at Trump rallies in Pennsylvania," it argued.
Revelations about the selection process and the background of the final winner, Michigan-based chiropractor Tyler VanAkin, have raised serious questions about the program's integrity. VanAkin, who worked on Trump's 2024 campaign, was awarded the final $1 million prize on Election Day.
Financial records show that VanAkin was paid over $14,200 for his work as a consultant and received more than $16,300 in travel reimbursements for his role in preparing Trump's campaign events. The chiropractor was also present at Trump's election night watch party in Mar-a-Lago, and attended campaign bus tours wearing Trump-Vance branded apparel. These disclosures only serve to fuel suspicions of bias.
America PAC's year-end filing also listed VanAkin's $1 million payment, which was given to him on Nov. 12 – a week after Election Day. The supposed "prize" was listed as compensation for his role as a "spokesperson consultant," raising questions about whether the giveaway was truly a lottery win or a thinly veiled payment for political services.
The Financial Times, which first reported on VanAkin's ties to the Trump campaign, noted that he was the only announced winner to have received income from PACs. But his selection is not an isolated incident, as other winners of the giveaway have also been linked to the president-elect's 2024 campaign.
Testimonies delivered during the court hearing on Krasner's case further undermined Musk's claims that winners were selected randomly.
The treasurer of America PAC revealed that the selection process was far from random, as winners were chosen through a "multi-step process." The process involved reviewing participants’ social media posts and meeting them in person. Musk's lawyers also clarified that winners were selected not by chance, but based on their "suitability" to serve as spokespersons for the PAC.
Head over to Rigged.news for more similar stories.
Watch this clip of Elon Musk announcing his $1 million giveaway to random voters who signed his election petition every day until Election Day.
This video is from the Rick Langley channel on Brighteon.com.
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Biden-Harris DOJ targeting Elon Musk's America Pac over voter sweepstakes.
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BigLeaguePolitics.Substack.com
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