Former GOP Officials Urge Justice Department To Investigate Elon Musk’s $1 Million Giveaways

“We are aware of nothing like this in modern political history,” the group wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland.

A coalition of former Republican officials asked the Justice Department to immediately investigate billionaire Elon Musk’s cash awards for voters.

Musk — the world’s richest person — has thrown his financial might behind former President Donald Trump’s bid for the White House. He said last week he would hand out the million-dollar sweepstakes each day until Nov. 5 through his America PAC. Registered voters in swing states who sign the group’s petition to “support free speech & the right to bear arms” are eligible.

But those promises raise serious questions under federal law, a group of officials — which include a former deputy attorney general, a Watergate prosecutor and a former chairman of the Federal Election Commission — wrote to the Justice Department.

“We are aware of nothing like this in modern political history,” the group wrote in the letter. “We recognize that they are framed as payments for signing a petition, or for referring voters who sign. But many of the payments are restricted to registered voters, so anyone who wishes to get paid must first register.”

The Washington Post, the first to report the news, said Attorney General Merrick Garland has received the letter, but the DOJ did not say if it would investigate.