Monday , October 21 2024

Musk promises to award $1m each day to a signer of his petition

21-10-2024

HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA: Billionaire Elon Musk promised on Saturday to give away $1 million each day until November’s election to someone who signs his online petition supporting the US Constitution.

And he wasted no time, awarding a $1 million check to an attendee of his event in Pennsylvania aimed at rallying supporters behind Republican Donald Trump. The winner was a man named John Dreher, according to event staff.

“By the way, John had no idea. So anyway, you’re welcome,” the Tesla founder said as he handed Dreher the check.

The money is the latest example of Musk using his extraordinary wealth to influence the tightly-contested presidential race between Trump and his Democratic rival Kamala Harris.

Musk started America PAC, a political action organization he founded in support of Trump’s presidential campaign. The group is helping mobilize and register voters in battleground states, but there are signs it is having trouble meeting its goals.

The Harrisburg event is the third in as many days in Pennsylvania, where Musk is painting November’s election in stark terms and encouraging supporters to vote early and get others to do the same.

He said on Saturday that if Harris wins, it will be “the last election,” suggesting the US will no longer exist.

He also said the two assassination attempts against Trump prove he is ruffling feathers and upending the status quo in ways Harris won’t. He said that’s why no one is trying to kill Harris.

“Assassinating a puppet is worthless,” Musk said, reiterating an argument he has made in a social media post.

The petition Musk is asking people to sign reads: “The First and Second Amendments guarantee freedom of speech and the right to bear arms. By signing below, I am pledging my support for the First and Second Amendments.”

Attendees of Saturday’s event had to sign the petition, which allows America PAC to garner contact details for more potential voters that it can work to get to the polls for Trump.

Musk, ranked by Forbes as the world’s richest person, so far has supplied at least $75 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 behind carmaker Tesla (TSLA.O), opens new tab and rocket and satellite venture SpaceX has increasingly supported Republican causes and this year became an outspoken Trump supporter.

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

The political action committee funded by billionaire Elon Musk to help re-elect former US President Donald Trump is struggling in some swing states to meet door-knocking goals and is investigating claims that some canvassers lied about the number of voters they have contacted, according to people involved in the group’s efforts.

The difficulties, in pivotal battleground states including Wisconsin and Nevada, come as the group, America PAC, races to enlist voters behind the Republican candidate in the final two weeks before the Nov. 5 election. Four people involved in the group’s outreach told Reuters that managers warned canvassers they are missing targets and needed to raise the number of would-be voters they contact.

A person close to America PAC’s operations said McMillan’s account of a Wisconsin shortfall is inaccurate and that the group will reach its goals. Senior operatives, the person added, routinely visit field offices to check on performance. (Int’l News Desk)

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