Elon Musk ordered to attend hearing on $1 million-a-day giveaway

Elon Musk has been ordered to appear at a hearing on Thursday regarding a lawsuit filed by prosecutors aimed at blocking the billionaire's $1 million-a-day giveaway to registered swing state voters ahead of the U.S. election on November 5.

The hearing before Judge Angelo Foglietta concerns Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner's bid to halt the giveaway less than a week before the tightly contested U.S. presidential election between Republican former president Donald Trump and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

Krasner, who championed progressive causes when running for district attorney, accuses Tesla (TSLA.O), opens new tab CEO Musk, a Trump supporter, and his political action committee America PAC of hatching an "illegal lottery scheme to influence voters."

Musk promised to give $1 million a day to randomly selected people who signed a petition pledging support for free speech and gun rights. Signatories were required to be registered voters in one of seven states that will likely decide the outcome of the Nov. 5 election - Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Musk gave away the first $1 million to an attendee of an Oct. 19 rally hosted by America PAC in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Krasner's Oct. 28 lawsuit alleges the giveaway amounts to an illegal lottery unsanctioned by the state, which has sole authority to run and regulate them. The suit also says it violates consumer protection laws by "deploying deceptive, vague or misleading statements" about its rules.

"Running an illegal lottery and violating consumer protections is ample basis for an injunction and concluding that America PAC and Musk must be stopped, immediately, before the upcoming Presidential Election on November 5," the suit said.

Musk and America PAC's lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The U.S. Department of Justice warned America PAC the giveaway could violate federal law, multiple news outlets reported last week, although federal prosecutors have not taken any action publicly.

Musk, ranked by Forbes as the world's richest person, has so far given nearly $120 million to America PAC, according to federal disclosures, making the group a crucial part of Trump's bid to regain the White House.

The entrepreneur has increasingly supported Republican causes and this year became an outspoken Trump supporter.

Trump in turn has said that if elected, he would appoint Musk to head a government efficiency commission.

News.Az