SAN FRANCISCO— A federal judge in Texas has ruled that Elon Musk must face a lawsuit brought by voters who claim they were deceived into signing a political petition with the promise of winning $1 million a day in what was promoted as a lottery-style giveaway.
U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman in Austin found that Jacqueline McAferty, an Arizona voter, presented a plausible case in her proposed class action against Musk and his political action committee, America PAC. The lawsuit alleges that Musk misled supporters of his petition to “defend the U.S. Constitution” by falsely suggesting they had a chance to win millions.
According to McAferty, the supposed lottery was a sham, with winners pre-selected. She also contends that America PAC illegally collected personal information — including names, addresses, phone numbers, and emails — from participants during the final stretch of the 2024 presidential campaign.
Musk created America PAC to support Republican candidate Donald Trump’s White House bid. The lawsuit alleges the petition drive specifically targeted voters in seven battleground states, dangling the promise of random $1 million winners to boost engagement.
Musk’s legal team argued the campaign made it clear that the $1 million recipients were “selected to earn” the money and would serve as spokespeople for America PAC, rather than winners of a lottery. On that basis, Musk asked the court to dismiss the case, claiming no illegal lottery was conducted.
Judge Pitman, however, pointed to statements from the PAC suggesting the money could be “won” and would be “awarded,” language that could reasonably lead voters to believe they were entering a lottery. He said McAferty likely relied on those assurances when signing the petition.
Musk also downplayed claims that voters were harmed by providing personal details, but Pitman noted that expert testimony could establish the commercial value of voter data in battleground states.
Musk and America PAC have yet to comment publicly on the ruling. (Source: IANS)
