Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and owner of X, has recently made headlines for his controversial initiative aimed at supporting his friend Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Through his political action committee (PAC) called America PAC, Musk is offering $47 for each registered voter from key swing states who refers others to sign a petition. This petition supports the First and Second Amendments, focusing on free speech and gun rights.
The businessman’s strategy involves gathering personal contact information from voters in battleground states like Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Arizona. While the offer may seem like a way to encourage voter participation, critics argue that it could be seen as manipulating the electoral process. Federal law prohibits paying people to vote or register to vote, but since Musk’s initiative focuses on petition signing rather than direct voting incentives, it operates within legal boundaries.
The initiative has raised eyebrows on social media, with some users suggesting that Musk’s actions could be illegal. They argue that while he is not directly paying for votes, the financial incentives could influence voter turnout and serve as a means of data collection. While this gifting of money for vote is prevalent in many countries including India, it happens unofficially. But it looks like Elon Musk is making a ‘white cover’ move of the same.
