Billionaire Elon Musk was ordered to appear in court in Philadelphia on Thursday for a hearing regarding a lawsuit aimed at stopping his controversial $1 million giveaway to registered U.S. voters in swing states. The lawsuit, filed by Philadelphia’s chief prosecutor, Larry Krasner, alleges that Musk’s project constitutes “an illegal lottery scheme.”
Judge Anne Marie Coyle emphasized the importance of the hearing by requiring all parties involved to be present, leading to Musk’s expected attendance.
The controversy surrounding Musk’s initiative began earlier this month, prompting concerns from the Justice Department that the giveaways could violate federal laws against incentivizing voter registration.
Musk, who is the CEO of SpaceX and X (formerly Twitter), has been a significant supporter of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump since he endorsed him in July. He has reportedly donated $118 million to his personal pro-Trump political action committee, which raises funds for elections.
Musk has actively campaigned for Trump, including appearing alongside him at a rally in Pennsylvania and hosting town halls in the state, which is seen as crucial for the upcoming November election. Over the years, Musk has shifted from supporting former President Barack Obama to adopting increasingly conservative views, using his platform with 202 million followers on X to promote Trump and criticize his political opponents, including Vice President Kamala Harris.
