Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (D) said that the plan to give $1 million to anybody who signs billionaire Elon Musk’s America PAC before the presidential elections is “deeply concerning.”
“I think there are real questions with how he is spending money in this race. How the dark money is flowing, not just into Pennsylvania but apparently now into the pockets of Pennsylvanians,” said Shapiro on Sunday (Oct 20) on NBC News’s “Meet the Press.” “That is deeply concerning,” he added.
Shapiro said that Musk, who has endorsed Trump publicly and made appearances at rallies with him, has a right to express his views.
“He’s made it very, very clear that he supports Donald Trump. I don’t obviously, we have a difference of opinion. I don’t deny him that right, but when you start flowing this kind of money into politics, I think it raises serious questions,” Shapiro said.
He further raised concerns regarding funding and interference of Musk in the presidential election.
“I think it raises serious questions that folks may want to take a look at,” he said.
When NBC News’s Kristin Welker asked Shapiro if plans of Musk are legal, the former Pennsylvania attorney general said that he was not able to weigh in on the issue.
“I think it’s something that law enforcement can take a look at,” Shapiro said.
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Meanwhile, speaking to NBC News law professor at the University of California Rick Hasen said, “Essentially what you’re doing is you are creating a lottery. You’re creating a lottery where the only people eligible to participate in the lottery are people who register to vote, or are registered to vote, and that’s illegal.”
Musk’s $1 million proposal
Musk on Saturday (Oct 19) appealed to people to sign the petition in which supports the right to bear arms and free speech and in exchange take $1 million.
“The only thing we ask for the million dollars is that you be a spokesperson for the petition,” said Musk.
On the website of the group, a statement read, “AmericaPAC was created to support these key values: Secure Borders, Safe Cities, Sensible spending, Fair Justice System, Free Speech, Right to Self-Protection.”
Mr Musk said he wants to get “over a million, maybe two million, voters in the battleground states to sign the petition in support of the First and Second Amendment.”
“I think [it] sends a crucial message to our elected politicians,” said Musk.
(With inputs from agencies)