Elon Musk ordered to attend court over US voter cash giveaways
2 hours ago Ana Faguy BBC News, Washington DC
Elon Musk has been ordered to attend a court hearing on Thursday, days after the billionaire was sued by prosecutors in Philadelphia over his $1m (£770,000) giveaways to voters.
The Donald Trump supporter has, through his political group America PAC, been offering cash prizes to registered voters in swing states who sign a petition.
US officials suggest this may break electoral law - something Musk denies. Philadelphia District Attorney Lawrence Krasner said Musk "must be stopped, immediately, before the upcoming presidential election".
CNN reports that Musk has filed a "motion of removal" to move the matter from the state's hands to a federal judge, which could delay matters.
The Philadelphia court hearing is scheduled to start at 10:00 EST (14:00 GMT), according to the BBC's US partner, CBS News.
Court documents show that Judge Angelo Foglietta of the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas said that "all parties must be present at the time of the hearing".
Musk announced earlier this month that he would randomly award a $1m prize to people in battleground states - Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan and North Carolina - every day until 5 November.
These swing states suggest a particularly close contest between Trump and his Democratic rival for president, Kamala Harris.
To be eligible to win, the giveaway requires registered voters to release personal identifying information, like addresses and phone numbers. They are also required to sign a pledge that says they support the US Constitution.
The lawsuit filed against Musk claimed he was "running an illegal lottery".
“America PAC and Musk are lulling Philadelphia citizens... to give up their personal identifying information and make a political pledge in exchange for the chance to win $1 million,” Mr Krasner said in the lawsuit. "That is a lottery. And it is indisputably an unlawful lottery."
The lawsuit also accuses the Tesla co-founder of violating consumer protection laws by using "deceptive, vague or misleading statements" that could create confusion.
But Musk's lawyers have argued otherwise.
"The complaint, in truth, has little to do with state-law claims of nuisance and consumer protection," Musk’s lawyers wrote in federal filings, according to the CNN report.
"Rather, although disguised as state law claims, the complaint’s focus is to prevent defendants’ purported ‘interference’ with the forthcoming federal presidential election by any means."
If the matter does move to the federal court, the case would move out of the Philadelphia judge's hands.
The BBC reached out to Mr Krasner for comment.
Before the case was filed, Musk's PAC was also warned by the US justice department that its lottery-style giveaway might violate federal election law.
The BBC has previously reached out to America PAC for comment.
Under US law, it is illegal to pay people to register to vote. But legal experts have told the BBC that whether the giveaway violates federal law is a grey area.
Musk himself, who has been aggressively campaigning for Trump, has insisted voters who want to be eligible for the prizes do not need to register as Republicans or go ahead with casting a vote.
A district attorney sued Elon Musk at a local court over his million dollar giveaway. The DA said that the giveaway was an illegal lottery and constituted interference in an election. The judge had ordered that all parties should appear in court.
However, Mr Musk's lawyers approached a federal court and asked it to take over jurisdiction from the local court. That's probably why he did not appear at the local court hearing.
Elon Musk doesn't show at Philadelphia hearing over super PAC's $1 million lottery for voters
By Joe Brandt, Josh Sanders Updated on: October 31, 2024
Despite a judge's order that "all parties must be present," Tesla founder, X owner and billionaire Elon Musk did not appear in a Philadelphia courtroom Thursday after District Attorney Larry Krasner sued him over his super PAC's plan to award $1 million a day to voters in key battleground states in the 2024 election.
Krasner and members of his office joined attorneys for Musk in Judge Angelo Foglietta's civil courtroom at City Hall for a hearing Thursday at 10 a.m. ET.
Musk's attorneys filed documents Wednesday night in the U.S. District Court in Philadelphia, a federal court, requesting the matter be moved to their jurisdiction – and out of the local Court of Common Pleas. A judge granted that transfer.
Attorneys for Krasner said they would contest that recommendation.
"We will proceed to federal court and seek to address the issues there and have them addressed in state court. This is a case that addresses state law issues, and I'll leave it at that," said attorney John Summers.
Musk, who has campaigned with former President Donald Trump, has donated tens of millions of dollars to America PAC, a super PAC formed this summer to support the Republican candidate.
The lottery award goes to signers of a petition asking voters to support free speech and the right to bear arms. According to the super PAC's website, at least 12 people have received $1 million awards, including four from Pennsylvania.
"The Philadelphia District Attorney is charged with protecting the public from public nuisances and unfair trade practices, including illegal lotteries. The DA is also charged with protecting the public from interference with the integrity of elections," Krasner said in a statement after the civil suit was announced.
Days before Krasner filed the suit, the Justice Department sent a letter to the super PAC warning that it may be violating federal laws about paying voters.
After a career spanning two decades which saw him represent some of the world's biggest clubs, Emmanuel Adebayor will mark the end of his playing days with a testimonial in Togo on Sunday.
Legendary names of both African and European football, including Samuel Eto’o, Jay-Jay Okocha and the Toure brothers, will be in Lome for a weekend of celebrations for a man who helped his West African nation to its first, and to date only, Fifa World Cup appearance.
Adebayor now wants to help the next generation in his homeland accomplish more, motivated by both his own childhood and the horrific 2010 gun attack on the Togo team.
"It's now I realise that helping a human being is even better than scoring a beautiful goal in the Premier League or Champions League," the 40-year-old said.
In an exclusive interview with BBC Sport Africa, the striker reflects on the key moments of his career.
Fuelled by football
For the first few years of his life, Adebayor’s parents were troubled by his inability to walk, despite being otherwise healthy.
Still only crawling when he was five, his family found their way to spiritual leaders in neighbouring Ghana, who insisted the problem could be fixed through intense prayer.
One Sunday, a football from a nearby game bounced into the church where pastors were praying over the young Adebayor.
"As soon as I saw the ball, I started running to it," he said.
"It was a moment of deliverance, with everybody shouting 'He's walking, he's walking!'. Everybody was so happy and whenever my mother told that story, she always cried."
An indelible relationship with the sport had begun.
After being plucked from Togo by French club Metz, Adebayor spent nearly three seasons at Monaco before joining Arsenal in January 2006.
Nearly 20 years on, he calls the move the second favourite moment of his career.
"My idol was Nwankwo Kanu so signing for Arsenal - wearing his number 25 jersey and using the same locker as him - is, for me, a huge accomplishment," he said.
"Today, he is my big brother, my best friend and advises me if I'm doing right or wrong."
Adebayor’s form with the Gunners in 2008 played a major part in him becoming the first – and only – Togolese to be crowned African Footballer of the Year.
"In 2008, I was unplayable," he said.
"To be recognised as Africa's best player was huge - it is something I will never forget and never take for granted."
Yet his relationship with the north London club soured after he moved to Manchester City and ran the length of the pitch to celebrate a goal in front of Arsenal fans in 2009.
Adebayor apologised afterwards, saying the "emotion took over" him, and was later fined £25,000 ($32,300) and handed a two-match ban
The same year as his move to Highbury, Togo made their only World Cup appearance – becoming Africa's smallest nation to contest the finals.
Adebayor scored an unsurpassed 11 goals in qualifying as the Sparrowhawks finished above 2002 World Cup quarter-finalists Senegal.
"Even today, we the actors try to explain it to ourselves but cannot," he said.
"We really don’t know what happened in those years, and what gave us the confidence to be as strong as we were. It was unbelievable."
Nigerian coach Stephen Keshi oversaw Togo's qualification but was replaced before the World Cup after a poor 2006 Africa Cup of Nations, marked by a spectacular falling out with Adebayor.
Togo's campaign in Germany was one to forget, with the side losing every game and threatening a boycott in a bonus row, but simply reaching the tournament was a huge feat.
Terror attack trauma
After missing out on the 2008 Nations Cup, returning at the 2010 edition should have been a dream.
Instead, it was an unimaginable nightmare.
On 8 January 2010, Togo's team bus was attacked by separatist rebels as it travelled through the enclave of Cabinda in host nation Angola.
The Togolese delegation was targeted by gunfire for over half an hour, leaving two dead and a host of unwanted memories for those who survived.
"Sometimes you can be in your home cinema watching a movie, or somewhere when somebody drops something – which has that similar sound to gunshot – and you remember what happened in 2010," Adebayor said.
"I’m a big fan of action movies. I still watch them but it’s difficult.
"Sometimes you see people shooting a bus and it takes you straight back."
Hitting the highs with Real and Sherwood
Despite spells across Europe and a brief stint in Paraguay, Togo’s record scorer won just one trophy – the Copa del Rey with Real Madrid in 2011.
That triumph was achieved by a star-studded side including Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored the winner against Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona.
"There is a video out there of me dancing in the dressing room with Pepe and Sergio," Adebayor said.
"Some players who don't have half of my talent have won a World Cup, but my target is not to regret.
"I'm happy about my career. If I was asked to do it one more time, I would."
Adebayor played under Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho and Didier Deschamps among others, but says it was a manager with the briefest of careers who got the best out of him.
Andre Villas-Boas had frozen Adebayor out at Tottenham but Tim Sherwood brought him back into the fold when he took charge in in December 2013.
"The first meeting (Sherwood) had with the first team, he said 'My talisman will be Emmanuel Adebayor, everything will go through Adebayor. Penalty taker – Adebayor'," the striker recalls.
On his first club start in seven months, he scored against West Ham in Sherwood's first game to begin a run of 11 goals in 14 matches.
"After the game, we had a one-hour phone call where he told me how brilliant I was, how he counted on me and that no matter what happened he was 100% behind me," he said.
"When your boss is telling you that, the rest is easy. Up until today, we still chat. That's beautiful."
Since quitting football, Adebayor has invested most of his time on the SEA (Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor) Foundation he set up just over a decade ago.
His inspiration came from his own experience of having to drop out of school when his parents could not afford the fees (roughly $25 or £19 per term) and by the attack in Angola which made him realise "anything can stop at any given moment".
With the United Nations and French Development Agency among its partners, the foundation sponsors hundreds of children to improve in areas ranging from STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) to agricultural entrepreneurship.
"When you impact on somebody’s life, it's not just one person’s life - it's a generation's life," Adebayor said.
"This person will talk to his kid, his kid will talk to his grandkid and so on. So, for me, this is limitless."
There are even plans for an Emmanuel Adebayor University in Togo as this one-time controversial figure plans to impact his country's society the same way he did its football.
Kan U believe it? @e_adebayor Testimonial game, his career has been an incredible journey. We’re all immensely proud of him, and the continent celebrates his achievements. It’s a joy to honor such a man with a big heart. I’m proud to have been part of this journey. God bless you
African legends Anthony Baffoe, El Hadji Diouf, Eto’o, Kanu, Mboma, Okocha, Gyan, Doumbia, Kalou et al played a gala match in front of a large crowd in Lomé, Togo to celebrate the retirement of 2008 African Player of the Year Emmanuel Adebayor.
Election officials in Indiana were conducting a public test of the voting machines ahead of the general elections in November. A republican politician was part of the test. The politician complained that the result of the test was wrong. Election officials investigated why the result was wrong and CCTV footage showed that it was because the politician stole two ballot papers.
Former Republican congressional candidate in Indiana charged with stealing election ballots
A former Republican candidate for Congress in Indiana has been charged with stealing election ballots during a voting machine test earlier this month.
Larry Savage, who lost in the Republican primary in the 5th Congressional District in Indiana in May, has been charged with one felony count of destroying or misplacing a ballot, and one misdemeanor count of theft, according to Indiana State Police.
On Oct. 3, officials were conducting a public test of the ballot card voting system in Madison County in central Indiana, using four voting machines and 132 ballots marked for testing, police said. During the test, two ballots were discovered to be missing after an initial tabulation.
Police said surveillance video showed Savage, a precinct committeeman, folding those two ballots and placing them in his pocket, after being told they were valid test ballots.
A judge issued a search warrant for Savage's home, where they found the missing ballots in his car.
Savage turned himself in at the Madison County Jail on Tuesday after a warrant was issued for his arrest. He has since been released on $500 cash bond, according to Madison County Jail records.
Note: The purpose of these matches is to see which home based players can join the main team. That's why majorityof the player are home based players with a sprinkling of foreign based players.
Foreign Affairs › Re: Elon Musk Fails To Appear In Court Over Million Dollar Giveaway by naptu2(op): 4:25pm On Oct 31, 2024
