Elon Musk Finally Faces a Challenge to His Shameless Pro-Trump Lottery

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner is suing Elon Musk over the billionaire’s election interference plot.

Krasner on Monday filed a civil lawsuit arguing that Musk and his America PAC have violated Pennsylvania law by operating an illegal, unregulated lottery in the state, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. Though several legal experts and the Justice Department have sounded the alarm, Krasner’s lawsuit announced Monday is the first legal challenge that Musk has faced for his $1 million bribe.

“America PAC and Musk must be stopped, immediately, before the upcoming Presidential Election on Nov. 5,” the lawsuit states. “That is because America PAC and Musk hatched their illegal lottery scheme to influence voters in that election.”

The lawsuit avoids the bigger question of whether the whole stunt—encouraging swing-state voters to sign a petition in return for a chance at winning $1 million—violates election law by essentially paying people to register to vote. Instead, Krasner’s legal argument states that Musk is operating an illegal lottery. Under Pennsylvania law, a lottery can only be run by the state and for the benefit of the state’s seniors.

He also argues that Musk’s giveaway isn’t as random as the Trump surrogate states. “Though Musk says that a winner’s selection is ‘random,’ that appears to be false,” Krasner’s lawsuit says. “Multiple winners that have been selected are individuals who have shown up at Trump rallies in Pennsylvania.” More than half of America PAC’s $9 million doled out to voters has gone to Pennsylvanians.

As of Monday morning, Musk has yet to make a statement about Krasner’s suit, but he did retweet a video of himself condemning the partisan “legacy media” and arguing that it should be easier to get rid of a law than make one.