The governor of Pennsylvania said law enforcement should ’take a look at’ Musk’s offer.
Tesla owner Elon Musk said he would offer $1 million per day to registered voters who sign a petition and delivered a check for the prize money on Saturday to a person who signed up in Pennsylvania.
Musk gave an oversized $1 million check to an attendee of his America PAC event in Harrisburg who was identified as John Dreher, according to event staff.
“By the way, John had no idea. So anyway, you’re welcome,” Musk, who also owns social media platform X, said as he handed Dreher the check.
“We’re going to be awarding a million dollars randomly to people who have signed the petition every day from now until the election,” he told the crowd.
Earlier this year, Musk started America PAC, a political action organization he founded in support of former President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. The group is helping mobilize and register voters in battleground states.
Late last week, the SpaceX CEO had promised his super PAC would pay $100 to Pennsylvania voters who signed the petition, an increase from the initial offering of $47 several weeks ago.
Musk first launched the petition and the referral offer earlier this month, with the petition being in support of the U.S. Constitution’s First and Second amendments.
“If you’re a registered Pennsylvania voter, you & whoever referred you will now get $100 for signing our petition in support of free speech & right to bear arms. Earn money for supporting something you already believe in! Offer valid until midnight on Monday,” Musk wrote on X on Oct. 17.
Pushback
In comments to NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Musk’s $1 million offer and announcement to give money to registered voters in the 2024 battleground state is “deeply concerning” and “something that law enforcement could take a look at.”
“Musk obviously has a right to be able to express his views. He’s made it very, very clear that he supports Donald Trump. I don’t. Obviously we have a difference of opinion,” the Democratic governor said. “I don’t deny him that, right, but when you start flowing this kind of money into politics, I think it raises serious questions.”
