Michigan
Elon Musk backed Trump’s political committee under investigation for possible Michigan law violations
Is Elon Musk’s political ambition built on shaky ground? The tech mogul’s PAC is now under investigation by Michigan election officials for potential violation of laws although the development in the case is very unclear at the time. The inquiry centres on allegations that the PAC has been collecting and potentially misusing voter data. The Tesla owner has said before that he formed the committee to back candidates, but he hasn’t promised anything to any of them.
Elon Musk’s political committee under scrutiny
The tech mogul previously endorsed Donald Trump for the 2024 elections, a not so surprising move considering his ongoing alignment with the former president’s vision. He then announced the creation and funding of the America PAC, which supports Trump.
Now as reported by CNBC, Elon Musk’s political group in America has been called out for scooping up personal info from people under the guise of voter registration. A recent report revealed that the PAC has been collecting personal data from individuals in Michigan and other states through its website. This has raised concerns about the potential misuse of this sensitive information for political purposes.
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“While the America PAC is a federal political action committee, the Department is reviewing its activities to determine if there have been any violations of state law. We will refer potential violations to the Michigan Attorney General’s office as appropriate,” a Michigan secretary of state’s spokesperson informed the news outlet.
Michigan Department of State investigating Musk’s America pac
The report says that when you click the “register to vote” button on the America PAC website, folks in Michigan have to give their ZIP code, address, and phone number. But, it’s kind of weird – after you do that, you’re taken to a “thank you” page and there’s no more stuff you need to do to finish signing up to vote.
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“Every citizen should know exactly how their personal information is being used by PACs, especially if an entity is claiming it will help people register to vote in Michigan or any other state,” a spokeswoman of the department said.
The person speaking said that even though the America PAC is a federal political action committee, the Department is examining their activities to identify any breaches of state law. If they find any issues, they’ll send them over to the Michigan Attorney General’s office if needed.
Few Legal experts disagree on whether Elon Musk’s America PAC has violated Michigan election laws. Barbara McQuade, former US attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, found no clear legal violations. “I am not aware of any laws being broken,” McQuade told CNBC. Another expressed concern over the PAC’s failure to provide a voter registration link after collecting personal information but did not mention whether this was a violation.