### Elon Musk's Town Halls to Support Trump under Scrutiny

Billionaire Elon Musk is intensifying his efforts to bolster former President Donald Trump's bid for the White House by organizing a series of town halls, including one soon to be held in Pittsburgh. The tech mogul’s involvement has raised eyebrows and legal concerns, particularly due to the rules surrounding participation.

Musk, who appeared at a rally in Butler County on October 5 wearing a MAGA hat, has scheduled several town halls across Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state. To join the "Town Hall with Elon Musk," participants must be registered Pennsylvania voters and sign a petition supporting the First and Second Amendments. Those who sign also receive $100 for each new voter they refer, an increase from the symbolic $47, reflecting the numerical order of the next president. This provision has sparked debate over its legality.

Gene Mazo, a political law expert at Duquesne University, commented that although the petition seems unusual, it doesn't directly violate campaign laws. Mazo explained that requiring support for the Second Amendment appears tailored to appeal to Republican voters, but isn't an explicit quid pro quo for Trump votes.

In contrast, Richard Hasen, director of the Safeguarding Democracy Project at UCLA School of Law, argues that the scheme is likely illegal. By providing access to these exclusive town halls in exchange for voting, Musk may be infringing on federal laws prohibiting giving anything of value for voter participation. Hasen referenced a precedent from 2008 when Ben & Jerry's faced a similar issue with free ice cream for voters, which was resolved by offering it to everyone irrespective of voting status.

Musk's Super PAC, America PAC, has been very active, spending approximately $72 million between July and September to support Trump's campaign. The PAC, solely financed by Musk, aims to register a million new voters in swing states, with Pennsylvania's voter registration deadline looming on October 21.

Notably, America PAC has been criticized for spreading misleading information, such as a recently debunked claim about a 2,000% increase in Pittsburgh’s migrant population over the past two years. In reality, the non-citizen population in the city grew by 14.6%, or 2,166 people, between 2021 and 2023.

As Musk's Pittsburgh town hall awaits confirmation of date and location, scrutiny continues over the legality and ethics of his methods in influencing voter behavior in the run-up to the upcoming election.