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LetMyPeopleVote

(153,594 posts)
Wed Oct 23, 2024, 03:15 PM Yesterday

Justice Department warns Elon Musk that his $1 million giveaway to registered voters may be illegal

Source: CNN

The Justice Department warned Elon Musk’s America PAC in recent days that his $1 million sweepstakes to registered voters in swing states may violate federal law, people briefed on the matter told CNN.

Musk, who has thrown his support behind former President Donald Trump and is spending millions of dollars supporting his candidacy, has publicized the $1 million prize by his political action committee aiming to increase voter registrations in hotly contested states.

Musk’s initial promise to pay prizes to registered voters immediately raised concerns from election law experts and some state officials who questioned whether it ran afoul of the law.

Federal law bars paying people to register to vote. The language of the petition currently promises $1 million prizes to people chosen at random for signing a petition in support of First and Second Amendment freedoms. But to sign the petition, you must be registered to vote in specific states.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/23/politics/elon-musk-justice-department-letter/index.html




20 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Justice Department warns Elon Musk that his $1 million giveaway to registered voters may be illegal (Original Post) LetMyPeopleVote Yesterday OP
So, a strongly worded letter. nt intrepidity Yesterday #1
You mean dweller Yesterday #3
The Justice Department sent Elon Musk's America PAC a letter warning LetMyPeopleVote Yesterday #2
Grow a pair! Tell the RICHEST man on earth IT IS ILLEGAL!! mpcamb 21 hrs ago #12
It must be "Be Nice to Criminals Day" C_U_L8R Yesterday #4
Wow that will stop it for sure JohnSJ Yesterday #5
"May" and "might"? How about something definitive? Owl Yesterday #6
It may be? It either is, or isn't. WTF may be? onecaliberal Yesterday #7
"may be" a violation of law is not uncommon. thesquanderer 23 hrs ago #10
Thanks, good analysis. reACTIONary 18 hrs ago #14
Also shouldn't they know? jfz9580m 16 hrs ago #16
Boil some water... EarthFirst Yesterday #8
The backbone of a jellyfish. Tarzanrock Yesterday #9
Predictably, the DOJ bashers, who know little or nothing, of DOJ procedures, are on the attack. onenote 23 hrs ago #11
Yeah I guess it is a matter of form jfz9580m 16 hrs ago #17
I hope Elon goes easy on the DOJ usonian 20 hrs ago #13
Its either illegal or its not...Damn, Damn, Damn...I am so fed up with this "MAY BE"...look at the law and then Escurumbele 17 hrs ago #15
Will the "winners" have to return the money? Oopsie Daisy 7 hrs ago #18
Not "may be illegal." Novara 7 hrs ago #19
Can we throw this traitor out of the country now? travelingthrulife 5 hrs ago #20

thesquanderer

(12,275 posts)
10. "may be" a violation of law is not uncommon.
Wed Oct 23, 2024, 04:41 PM
23 hrs ago

It can depend on the interpretation of the law, and you end up with something lawyers will argue and judges/juries will have to decide.

Just reading the text of the post, you can see ambiguity. It is illegal to pay someone to register to vote.

Musk's defense possibilities:
... He's not giving people money, he's giving them a *chance* to win money.
... Even then, he's not giving them a chance to win in exchange for registering, but rather, for signing a petition.
... Even then, the benefit does not actually require that you register to vote (since you're also eligible if you've already registered).
So there's an argument there that, technically, he is not running afoul of the law (at least depending on exactly how the law is written).

OTOH, since in order to be eligible to win, you must be a registered voter, that could incentivize unregistered people to register.
In that case, there's an argument that he is offering something of value to people (even if indirectly) in exchange for registering (regardless of the fact that he's also offering the same benefit to other people, i.e. those who are already registered).



Tarzanrock

(407 posts)
9. The backbone of a jellyfish.
Wed Oct 23, 2024, 04:03 PM
Yesterday

Bootlegging "may" be a crime, Mr. Capone. Bootlegging "might" be a crime, Mr. Nitti. Selling alcohol in underground Speakeasy saloons "may" or it "might" violate the Nations Prohibition Laws, Chicago mobsters! The U.S. Justice Department "may" or it "might" not get "tough" on you, mobsters but we are going to issue this "legal" opinion to you.

onenote

(44,155 posts)
11. Predictably, the DOJ bashers, who know little or nothing, of DOJ procedures, are on the attack.
Wed Oct 23, 2024, 04:56 PM
23 hrs ago

It SOP for the DOJ to send a notice to the target of an investigation. And its SOP for the DOJ to investigate before seeking an indictment.

jfz9580m

(14,897 posts)
17. Yeah I guess it is a matter of form
Wed Oct 23, 2024, 11:30 PM
16 hrs ago

That phrasing sounded to me as though they were not sure of the law on the books..your post makes sense..they would need an investigation to make a definitive statement…my error..duh .

Escurumbele

(3,572 posts)
15. Its either illegal or its not...Damn, Damn, Damn...I am so fed up with this "MAY BE"...look at the law and then
Wed Oct 23, 2024, 11:06 PM
17 hrs ago

be firm about it, ITS ILLEGAL, OR ITS NOT, if it is illegal, which sounds like it is, then go after the criminal who committed the crime, IF ITS NOT! then shut up! but stop the damn "MAY BE"...

Oopsie Daisy

(4,321 posts)
18. Will the "winners" have to return the money?
Thu Oct 24, 2024, 08:28 AM
7 hrs ago

I wonder if the recipients of the money will also be in legal jeopardy.

Novara

(6,088 posts)
19. Not "may be illegal."
Thu Oct 24, 2024, 08:32 AM
7 hrs ago

It IS illegal.

https://joycevance.substack.com/p/is-doj-doing-enough-to-protect-the

While some dismissed this as just “a sternly written letter,” it’s more than that. The law that prohibits vote-buying “does so in broad terms,” as DOJ’s election crimes manual, a Bible of sorts for federal prosecutors handling these matters, details. It goes on to say that, “covering any payment made or offered to a would-be voter ‘for registering to vote or for voting’ in an election when the name of a federal candidate appears on the ballot. Section 10307(c) applies as long as a pattern of vote-buying exposes a federal election to potential corruption, even though it cannot be shown that the threat materialized.” The Justice Department has put Musk on notice that if he continues to make these payments through his America PAC, he is violating the law, which makes it difficult to muster a defense if he continues to make the payments. Most people would stop engaging in illegal conduct when directly confronted like this. Musk is on notice that if he continues, he may well face prosecution. Although it’s likely that wouldn’t occur until after the election, simply given the evidence DOJ would have to put together and the timing of getting it before a grand jury, leaving aside concerns about taking steps like this so close to an election, this news sends an important message too.

travelingthrulife

(358 posts)
20. Can we throw this traitor out of the country now?
Thu Oct 24, 2024, 10:38 AM
5 hrs ago

May be...Might be.. possibly...does the check need to clear before you can state the law?

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