Elon Musk gave $1 million to three Pennsylvanians for signing his America PAC petition. They’d already voted.
All three Pennsylvanians are registered Republicans and had already returned their mail ballots before receiving Elon Musk's $1 million randomly awarded prize for signing the America PAC petition.
Three Pennsylvanians are the first recipients of Elon Musk’s daily $1 million prize to swing-state voters who signed a petition powered by his pro-Donald Trump America PAC.
Each had already voted.
John Dreher, Kristine Fishell, and Shannon Tomei were randomly selected to win the Musk lottery. This financial investment is indicative of the lengths that Musk is going to in his push to help deliver Pennsylvania, and other battlegrounds, for Trump in November.
But the sweepstakes — a novel voter-mobilization effort — raises some questions, both legally and about the effectiveness of Musk’s efforts. All three lottery winners are registered Republicans and had returned their mail ballots before receiving the $1 million, according to state records. Meanwhile, some legal experts have deemed the contest “clearly illegal,” and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro suggested that authorities should investigate.
Musk announced the megabucks sweepstakes at a town hall on Saturday in Harrisburg.
”So, every day between now and the election, we’ll be awarding a million dollars. Starting tonight,” Musk said at the event, part of a series of town halls the world’s richest man held throughout the commonwealth.
Then, a staff member appeared on stage, toting a giant America PAC check that bore the name of the first prize winner, Dreher.
Dreher, sporting a “Make America Great Again” hat, walked on stage, pumping his fists in the air, to roaring applause from the audience.
”I’ve been following you for 10 years,” he told Musk. “Got your biography 10 years ago, and have been watching ever since, and [a] big fan.”
The check came with a condition.
”The only thing we ask for the million dollars is that you be a spokesperson for the petition,” Musk told Dreher.
Fishell was awarded her check in a similar manner during a town hall Sunday. Tomei, of McKees Rock, Pa., was given the check the next evening.
Neither Dreher nor Fishell responded to multiple requests for comment. Tomei declined an interview.
Musk has been investing significant time and money in Pennsylvania in hopes of triggering a “red wave” in November. He has established a “war room” in Pittsburgh, donated nearly $75 million to his America PAC — which is behind pro-Trump and pro-mail ballot robo texts — and has expressed interest in door knocking throughout the commonwealth, among other efforts.