Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Aug 23: A U S federal judge has ruled that Elon Musk must face a lawsuit accusing him and his political action committee, America PAC, of deceiving voters into signing a petition under the false promise of winning $1 million per day. The decision, handed down by judge Robert Pitman in Austin, Texas, allows the case to proceed as a proposed class action.

Arizona resident Jacqueline McAferty, the plaintiff in the case, claims she and others were misled into sharing personal information — including names, addresses, emails, and phone numbers — with the belief that they were entering a legitimate lottery-style giveaway during the 2024 election campaign. The campaign, backed by Musk and America PAC, urged voters in seven battleground states to support a petition “for the U.S. Constitution” with the lure of randomly selected million-dollar winners.

McAferty argues that the winners were pre-selected and that the promotion was not a fair lottery, as presented. She also claims the campaign unlawfully harvested voter data under false pretenses — a claim that, according to Judge Pitman, is credible enough to merit legal scrutiny. The judge noted that some of the PAC's own messaging referred to the payments as prizes that could be "won," suggesting that people like McAferty could have reasonably believed in the legitimacy of the giveaway.

Musk’s defense argued that the promotion clearly stated recipients were “selected to earn” the money, with an expectation they would serve as spokespeople for the PAC — not winners of a prize. Musk further denied any wrongdoing or harm, asserting that simply collecting contact information doesn’t constitute damage.

However, Judge Pitman disagreed, stating that an expert in political data could testify to the commercial value of voter information in battleground states — a key factor in political campaigning. The court also noted that Musk’s defense failed to resolve contradictions in the campaign’s language regarding the nature of the giveaway.

Neither Musk nor America PAC has publicly commented on the ruling. The lawsuit adds to a growing list of legal entanglements surrounding Musk, who launched America PAC to support Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential bid. The case will now move forward, potentially opening the door to further scrutiny over how political data and public trust are leveraged in high-stakes campaigns.