The owner of Tesla, SpaceX and the social network X has made it his mission to deliver this key state on a platter to Donald Trump. Even if it means attracting a flood of criticism and the attention of the American justice system.
“Special offer for Pennsylvania voters! One hundred dollars if you sign this petition.” The message could not be clearer: by ratifying a text on freedom of expression and the carrying of weapons before Monday, October 28, registered voters in this state in the northeast of the United States could receive a ticket, effortlessly. All through businessman Elon Musk and his America PAC, a political action committee committed to Donald Trump's victory in the American presidential election on November 5. “I signed the day before the deadline, I hope I will get my money quickly”says Jaden, a 24-year-old salesman, met in the parking lot of a gas station on the edge of Philadelphia. “I was already going to vote for Trump, so that will pay for the barbecue and the beers when he wins!”he says before rushing into his blue Tesla.
In Pennsylvania, it's not just Elon Musk's cars that are on the roads. The richest man in the world, according to a Bloomberg ranking, himself embarked on a series of political meetings after appearing at Donald Trump's meeting in Butler (Pennsylvania) on October 5. He is convinced of it, it is in this swing statean extremely undecided state with 19 electors, where the election will play out.
The stakes are so high that Elon Musk has set up a “command center” in Pittsburgh, in the west of the state, where he plans his attacks with a battery of lawyers and communicators, according to the New York Times. “Pennsylvania: It’s all on you”he again assured in an advertising spot on October 25, before chanting “Fight ! Fight ! Fight !”the new favorite slogan of pro-Trump people since the latter escaped death on July 13.
In addition to being extremely active online on town hallsthese political meetings with a relaxed atmosphere, throughout Pennsylvania. On October 17, he first came to the suburbs of Philadelphia, a Democratic stronghold, to explain that this election was going to “decide the destiny of America and Western civilization”, as reported by CBS News. He then crisscrossed the state like an electoral canvasser, going to Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Lancaster, cities not necessarily keen on Donald Trump's speech.
“I'm not going to lie, we are very grateful for his energy and his support for Donald Trump”admits Glenn Geissinger, chairman of the Republican Party in Northampton County. “It’s great that people like Elon Musk are on board with Trump’s agenda.”he adds. In this industrial basin, the vote of the inhabitants foreshadowed that of the rest of the country during the last three elections, leaning for Barack Obama in 2012, then Donald Trump in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020. “This time, we will win by a large margin”predicts Glenn Geissinger, “hopeful” thanks to Elon Musk's campaign and “to the oratorical talents of Donald Trump, who was unable to meet the crowds in 2020, because of Covid-19”.
Elon Musk surely achieved his biggest media stunt by offering to pay each day, between October 19 and election day, one million dollars to a signatory of his petition chosen at random. The offer is attractive, but only concerns voters registered in one of the seven key states, namely Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Wisconsin and of course the Pennsylvania. It is also in this state that four winners have already been drawn, causing a flurry of articles in the local media. “I don’t see any difference with inviting a star like Beyoncé to your meeting”assures Glenn Geissinger, referring to the singer's appearance alongside Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in Houston (Texas), on October 25.
“Both sides use different techniques to mobilize their voters, and this is part of it. Elon Musk is pushing an idea, that you can receive some sort of financial reward for your engagement.”
Glenn Geissinger, chairman of the Republican Party in Lancaster County (Pennsylvania)at franceinfo
This big controversial draw did not escape the Department of Justice, which, according to the American press, informed Elon Musk of possible prosecution, because the law prohibits offering a reward to a citizen for voting or registering on the electoral lists. For its part, the Public Citizen association filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission for “barely disguised vote buying”. According to all the legal experts consulted by franceinfo, this lottery is located in a “zone grise” and has very little risk of being convicted. What does it matter, for Philadelphia Attorney General Larry Krasner, who sued Elon Musk and his committee on October 28, for this “illegal lottery” accused “to undermine the right to a free and fair election”specifies the complaint.
In total, Elon Musk will have taken $18 million out of his pocket just to reward the winners of this lottery. His investment in the PAC America committee is estimated at more than $118 million, according to a count from the business magazine Forbes based on statements from the Federal Election Commission. Enough to make Elon Musk the second donor to Donald Trump, just behind businessman Timothy Mellon.
“For Elon Musk, it’s pocket money”fumes Mary Ann Petyak, vice-president of the Democratic Party in Luzerne County, met at her campaign headquarters in Wilkes-Barre. The funds from the boss of Tesla and SpaceX are still enough to pay for teams specializing in door-to-door canvassing and advertisements on his social network X, the only place where supporters of Donald Trump spend more than supporters of Kamala Harris, recalls the online media Digiday. Faced with the success of Elon Musk's lottery, Mary Ann Petyak says “worry” and he asked himself “Is this our democracy? Donald Trump accuses us of cheating all day long, but he is supported by these kinds of methods… It’s worrying and even criminal”she accuses.
Among other Pennsylvania Democrats, we prefer to put the scale of the campaign led by Elon Musk into perspective. “He wants to knock everything over with bags of money, but that’s not how it works”assures Tamesh Kemraj, door-to-door coordinator for party candidates in the South Philadelphia neighborhoods. “As an organizer at the grassroots level, I think that's where the power lies, he explains. Neighbors talking to each other, rather than a billionaire throwing money at people like that.” For the democratic activist, however, the campaign took a turn “revolting” This year. “What does this say about our political life, about the future of our country? That we can buy votes or almost, without any consequences?he asks. It makes me nauseous.”
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