329
THEN FUCKING ARREST HIM.
Jesus. The rule of law is dead.
Maybe people will wake up to understand our system of "law and order" never was meant to serve people, only capital.
Excellent point, comrade.
The Justice Department warned Elon Musk’s America PAC
They can't arrest a PAC.
SovCits destroyed by this one simple trick:
I am a PAC.
I am invincible!
Pussyfooting about something is condoning it. It's the justice department and they can't make a binary yes/no conclusion on the legality of this? "We're warning you that you may get in trouble" is a green light to continue, they said it themselves, it's merely questionable, and Elon Musk has infinite resources to have a legal team spin it all back on the DOJ
I wish what they'd say is, "we will prosecute this and a jury will decide."
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(6 replies)
No lawyer, but so often you'll see a judge discuss the intent of the law vs. the letter of the law and make judgement on that, sometimes helping to change the law in question. Here we have a case where the argument is that he isn't paying someone to vote a certain way or even to vote, so it's not technically breaking existing law. But we all see what's going on, so the intent is clear.
Nothing will happen to him mainly because of him being untouchable, plus the time frame. This just needs to serve as a lesson to act on for the future and get the laws caught up with the times, where absolutely the rich and powerful are influencing political direction in so many ways, and have been for a long time. It needs to stop.
It’s illegal to offer someone something of value, which explicitly includes lottery entries, in exchange for their being registered to vote.
No idea why there’s a “may be” about any of this.
Could that depend on state law, since states control the actual election processes? I would think if it was universally written that clear then actual justice officials would be saying so.
I wish I had the statute at hand. Maybe I saw it on a Glenn Kirschner video? I'll try and look it up later, but I know for sure it is written down somewhere.
What gets me is how even if there isn't a hard law, the response should be to cease the activities because they are such a gray area, not this vague "oh gee, this might be a problem maybe".
Found it.
https://electionlawblog.org/?p=146397
52 U.S.C. 10307(c): “Whoever knowingly or willfully gives false information as to his name, address or period of residence in the voting district for the purpose of establishing his eligibility to register or vote, or conspires with another individual for the purpose of encouraging his false registration to vote or illegal voting, or pays or offers to pay or accepts payment either for registration to vote or for voting shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both…”
DOJ Election Crimes Manual at 44: “The bribe may be anything having monetary value, including cash, liquor, lottery chances, and welfare benefits such as food stamps. Garcia, 719 F.2d at 102. However, offering free rides to the polls or providing employees paid leave while they vote are not prohibited. United States v. Lewin, 467 F.2d 1132, 1136 (7th Cir. 1972). Such things are given to make it easier for people to vote, not to induce them to do so. This distinction is important. For an offer or a payment to violate Section 10307(c), it must have been intended to induce or reward the voter for engaging in one or more acts necessary to cast a ballot.… Moreover, payments made for some purpose other than to induce or reward voting activity, such as remuneration for campaign work, do not violate this statute. See United States v. Canales 744 F.2d 413, 423 (5th Cir. 1984) (upholding conviction because jury justified in inferring that payments were for voting, not campaign work). Similarly, Section 10307(c) does not apply to payments made to signature-gatherers for voter registrations such individuals may obtain. However, such payments become actionable under Section 10307(c) if they are shared with the person being registered.”
You know what his loophole is? He's not offering money TO vote or GET registered, he's just making the terms of the lottery be that you have to BE registered. Again, it's obvious, but by the letter I think it avoids this.
Elon's banking on it not mattering in 3 months.
May be? Are they not sure? Aren't they the guys who should know for sure?
People joke about strongly worded letters...
And if Elmo does it again, he'll get an even stronger warning.
It must be nice to live a consequence-free life.
Investigations take time.
Don't be surprised if Elon is already under investigation in the background
Usually, if Musk's PAC does not comply, the DOJ initiates an investigation phase. Gets a court order to preserve all documents and xoorspondence, etc.
And we've seen that the DOJ is a real stand-up operation the last 8 years, haven't we
Another source:
https://politicalwire.com/2024/10/23/elon-musk-got-warning-letter-for-lottery-scheme/
(not that it adds any further info)
Edited source and title to CNN
May? How is it not a bribe?
Citizens United and SpeechNow opened the door to this.
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(2 replies)
If I did this they'd be beating me with a rubber hose on my front lawn. Why's he get a "warning"?
(I know why)
'may' be?. try is
He knows. Fucking do something about it
If I’m understanding correctly, this sounds like lip service and nothing more than a side-eye glare from the DOJ while muttering quietly, “Don’t. Stop. That’s ‘illegal’” in Musk’s general direction.
They have as many teeth as the SEC has had when it comes to Musk’s “AlLEdgEd” shenanigans.
🙄 🤦♂️
So, here's my test: someone without his clout do the exact same thing except with $100. If that person gets charged but Musk doesn't, that tells you exactly why Musk will get away with it.
As it should!
#IS illegal*, you yellow-bellied felch suckers.
I, for one, am still waiting on the Bill Gates money from all those times I forwarded that email
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this post was submitted on 23 Oct 2024
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