Elon Musk ordered to appear in court to defend his $1m election giveaway

Elon Musk has been given a court order to show up in court in response to a lawsuit involving $1 million in payments made to voters in the state where the billionaire’s political campaign group campaigns in the US election.

In an effort to increase support and increase voter turnout for former president Donald Trump, the 53-year-old founder of companies like Tesla and SpaceX, critics claimed the campaign group’s America PAC began making the payments earlier this month.

On Monday, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Democrat, filed a suit to try and stop the America PAC sweepstakes, which is set to run up until Election Day.

Any registered voter in the battleground states who consents to sign a petition supporting the Constitution can enter the sweepstakes.

However, Krasner claims that people must give up their personal information in order to participate.

In other words, America PAC and Musk are enticed to give up personal information and pledge political funds in exchange for a chance to win $1 million, according to the lawsuit. This includes people from the Commonwealth [and other swing states in the upcoming election] and other swing states.

It adds: “It is indisputably an unlawful lottery”.

On Wednesday, Philadelphia Judge Angelo Foglietta ordered all parties – including Musk- to attend a hearing on the matter on Thursday.

The judge further stated that “every party is required to be present at the hearing.”

Will Musk follow judge’s order?

It remains unclear, however, whether the world’s richest man will appear.

The Associated Press said that Matthew Haverstick, one of several lawyers representing the defendants, declined to say if Musk would attend the hearing.

After the former president survived an assassination attempt at an election rally in Pennsylvania, Musk announced he was supporting Trump’s second term campaign in July.

In a post on his social media platform X, which he purchased in 2022, Musk wrote, “I fully support President Trump and hope for his quick recovery.”

Since then, he has used the platform and his wealth to become one of Trump’s most powerful and influential supporters.

To help Trump and other Republicans win in November, he has given the political action committee more than $70 million. The lawsuit, a copy of which was seen by Al Jazeera, claims America PAC spent more than $133m to support Republican candidates.

In the seven crucial swing states where the election will likely be decided, America PAC has distributed millions of dollars to voters.