## Philadelphia DA Urges Return of Musk's $1M Voter Lottery Case to State Court

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner’s battle to halt Elon Musk’s $1 million-a-day voter lottery has escalated to federal court following a state judge's decision to let both parties present their arguments. Judge Angelo Foglietta stressed that Musk, despite being a defendant, did not attend the hearing, though he refrained from issuing sanctions against the billionaire.

Musk's lawyer, Matthew Haverstick, commented on his client’s intense schedule, stating that Musk could not appear in court on short notice. However, Krasner’s team challenged the assertion that Musk could not travel to Philadelphia, which led to a pointed exchange in court.

Musk's political organization runs the sweepstakes aiming to support Donald Trump's presidential campaign, offering significant monetary prizes to registered voters. The dispute moved to federal jurisdiction when Musk’s legal team argued the case involved federal election interference claims. Subsequently, Judge Foglietta paused state proceedings.

Now handled by U.S. District Judge Gerald J. Pappert, the case saw a new twist as Krasner filed an emergency request late Thursday to revert the matter to state court, arguing their lawsuit only involved state law claims, not under federal purview.

Krasner’s legal team decried Musk’s maneuvering as an attempt to delay the ruling until Election Day. Judge Pappert has ordered Musk to respond to Krasner’s filing by 10 a.m. on Friday.

The District Attorney highlighted that preliminary winners of the lottery, of which four out of the first twelve were from Pennsylvania, pose questions about the legitimacy of the contest. Since October 19, Musk's America PAC has awarded 13 $1 million checks in battleground states, including Wisconsin, Nevada, Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, and Michigan.

Despite Krasner’s ongoing legal action, Musk and his PAC have persisted with their lottery. Legal experts have raised concerns about the potential violation of federal laws that prohibit financial inducement for voting. Musk has portrayed the funds both as prizes and as compensation for promotional work.

Krasner has not ruled out pursuing criminal charges, emphasizing his duty to uphold lottery regulations and election integrity in Pennsylvania. The sweepstakes is scheduled to continue daily through Election Day, requiring participants to be registered voters and to endorse the Constitution.

Krasner underscored the urgency by stressing that the sweepstakes disproportionately targets crucial swing states, raising further questions about its fairness and legality. Meanwhile, both Trump and Kamala Harris have increased their efforts in Pennsylvania, fighting for its valuable 19 electoral votes.

Musk, a staunch Trump supporter, has pledged significant financial resources to Trump’s campaign through his super PAC, showcasing his commitment with over $70 million directed towards aiding Republican victories in the upcoming election.