Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has initiated a civil lawsuit against Tesla CEO Elon Musk concerning a promotional giveaway intertwined with a political petition, sparking controversy over its legalities and motivations.
The Daily Caller reported that this lawsuit has been characterized by some, including law professor Jonathan Turley, as politically charged, designed to derail Musk's campaign efforts.
Elon Musk, a notable supporter and financial backer of political initiatives, introduced a significant promotional event on October 20.
This event promised a daily $1 million prize to individuals signing a particular political petition. The initiative immediately drew attention not only from supporters but also from regulatory authorities. The Justice Department, although issuing warnings regarding the giveaway, has yet to file any charges against Musk or his associates.
With Musk’s funding of the America PAC—a super PAC promoting former President Donald Trump in various critical states—the timing and nature of the giveaway raised eyebrows.
Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner, on Monday, translated these concerns into legal action, filing a lawsuit that questions the legality of the lottery system employed in Musk’s promotional strategy. The lawsuit posits that such a giveaway might infringe on legal standards governing electoral processes.
Jonathan Turley, a law professor, discussed the lawsuit extensively during an interview on "America's Newsroom." Turley critiqued DA Krasner's move as overtly political, suggesting that the DA’s actions were more about political maneuvering than upholding the law. "He has always been known to have a very strong political edge as a district attorney," Turley stated, indicating a possible ulterior motive behind the lawsuit.
Turley also provided insights into Musk’s defense, arguing that the giveaway was not merely a lottery but a civic engagement tool aimed at involving registered voters in the political process.
"Musk’s argument and his company’s argument is, look, it is not illegal to have a lottery to sign a petition in favor of the constitution, we only want registered voters to do that," Turley explained. This defense highlights the promotional activity’s alignment with democratic participation, albeit in a uniquely incentivized form.
The lawsuit's timing also coincides with rising crime rates in Philadelphia under DA Krasner’s tenure, with over 1,000 people killed in the last 20 months up to September 2022. This backdrop adds another layer of complexity to Krasner’s motivations, especially when considered alongside current polling data showing Trump's narrow lead over Harris by 0.8% in Pennsylvania as of the latest surveys from Oct. 7 to Oct. 29.
Turley emphasized that the lawsuit appears strategically timed to pull Musk away from the political arena and into a courtroom, potentially disrupting his political engagements.
"They want to pull Musk off the campaign and into a Philadelphia courtroom," Turley alleged, suggesting that the legal challenge may be a tactic to influence political dynamics indirectly.
Further discussing the nature of the lawsuit, Turley remarked, "The Krasner thing in Philadelphia is a civil action that is largely sort of nitpicking on whether this is an appropriate lottery system, but it seems like a real effort just to pull him into Philadelphia and this courtroom in front of hopefully a friendly judge from Krasner’s point of view."
Critics like Jonathan Turley view this legal move as a strategic attempt to hinder Musk's political influence. This lawsuit unfolds against a backdrop of increasing crime under Krasner's watch and close political races in Pennsylvania, weaving a complex tapestry of legal, political, and social elements.