| Friend, In a democracy, our vote is our voice -- not a commodity to be sold to the highest bidder. In the United States, that’s not just an ideal, it’s the law. And there’s a pretty good chance Elon Musk is breaking that law. Musk’s scheme to pay voters in swing states to sign his petition and ‘randomly’ award one of them $1 million, every day until voting ends on Nov. 5, has elicited warnings from federal officials and one lawsuit from Philadelphia’s top prosecutor.(1,2) But that’s not good enough. The Department of Justice must demand that Elon Musk immediately cease and desist his likely-illegal vote-buying scheme while it investigates. It’s bad enough that our wretched campaign finance laws allow Elon Musk to pour his riches into a Super PAC aimed at electing Donald Trump. It’s even worse that Musk, the world’s wealthiest man, has clear aims to become the shadow leader of United States of America, Inc. He wants a formal role in the Trump administration. His government contracts, via Starlink and SpaceX, are immense. His frequent talks with Russian dictator are alarming. And now, with his bizarre lottery scheme, Musk might well have crossed a legal line. UCLA law professor and ethics expert Richard Hasen says the law clearly prevents offering money and other things of value -- including the chance to win $1 million -- to induce voting. “This isn't a particularly close case—this is exactly what the statute was designed to criminalize," Hasen said.(3) Courage California has already called out Musk for his union-busting tactics and his shirking of taxes. Now we need to hold him accountable for interfering in our election. The law against buying votes is clear, but whether anyone is going to enforce it is another question. This is why the Justice Department needs to hear from us. Will sign our petition to demand Elon Musk be investigated for breaking election law? In solidarity, –Irene, Annie, Angela, Isidra, Jen, Cecilia, and Lindsay (the Courage team)
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