this post was submitted on 20 Oct 2024
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politics

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[–] just_another_person 114 points 2 months ago (3 children)

It's illegal, regardless of whether or not his own language mentions a candidate to vote for. Nobody will press charges because they don't want to waste the time and money though. It would have to be a grassroots campaign to get charges filed.

Get to it, Pennsylvania!

[–] pivot_root 52 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Unfortunately, rich assholes like Musk tend to be above the consequences of the law. Even if a grassroots movement gets far enough for him to be convicted of anything, he'll just get a slap on the wrist like every other billionaire douchebag.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

the oligarchs run the country.

[–] mriormro 10 points 2 months ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

Yes, in response to Musks activities

[–] davidgro 7 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

... And that site now redirects to a different project of theirs. I wonder if the law this user found actually does apply and they had to stop.

[–] shalafi 4 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Chapter and verse, what exactly is illegal?

Everyone keeps saying this but I'm not aware of a law against holding a lottery for petition signers. In any case, a suit would be such thin sauce that no prosecutor would dare throw down. Not because he's rich so much as the government would lose.

Love to wrong here folks, that's often how I learn. Come at me with law, not feel.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Not a lawyer but with a search, I found 18 U.S. Code § 597 - Expenditures to influence voting; more details at: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/597

[–] errer 6 points 2 months ago

That criminalizes paying for votes, it’s not clear that this scheme (ethically problematic as it may be) violates the letter of this law…

[–] Dran_Arcana 7 points 2 months ago

I think it's one of those things that is against the spirit of a law but not the letter of it. It feels illegal, it probably should be illegal, it might be illegal in the future, but for now it's sketchy but technically above board.