The North Carolina election board is looking into a pro-Trump political action committee (PAC) associated with Elon Musk following a complaint about voter data.
Editor Thenews24.net
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On September 13, 2023, Elon Musk attended a bipartisan AI Insight Forum for U.S. senators at the Capitol, organized by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The North Carolina Attorney General’s Office announced it is scrutinizing a political action committee (PAC) established by Musk after a complaint was filed with the state election board. The complaint alleges that the PAC collected personal data without assisting users in voter registration as promised. The North Carolina Board of Elections confirmed an investigation into Musk’s America PAC.
Patrick Gannon, a spokesman for the board, stated that failing to submit a voter’s registration form after promising to do so is a crime under North Carolina law. This investigation follows a similar inquiry by Michigan’s secretary of state’s office, prompted by a CNBC report that America PAC was gathering personal data from users in battleground states under the guise of voter registration assistance, which was not provided. In non-competitive states, users were directed to their state’s voter registration pages.
America PAC supports Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election against Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee. Musk, who leads Tesla and SpaceX and owns X, has acknowledged creating and funding the PAC. A spokeswoman for North Carolina AG Josh Stein, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, confirmed awareness of the issue but noted no formal investigation had been launched.
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s office is also investigating whether America PAC violated state laws. Benson’s spokeswoman emphasized the importance of transparency regarding the use of personal information by PACs, especially those claiming to assist with voter registration.
America PAC’s website failed to facilitate voter registration for users in battleground states like Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia, and Wisconsin, despite claims to the contrary. Neither Musk nor America PAC representatives responded to requests for comment. As of Monday, North Carolina users could not register to vote through the America PAC site after submitting personal data.
Following CNBC’s initial report, political activist David Wheeler filed a complaint with the North Carolina Board of Elections, accusing America PAC of violating state laws by collecting and retaining confidential voter information under false pretenses. Wheeler, who runs the American Muckrakers PAC, has previously opposed Republican candidates.
Gannon confirmed the investigation into America PAC, noting the complaint’s allegations that the PAC misled users into believing they were registering to vote without submitting any forms to election officials. Pennsylvania Secretary of State Al Schmidt’s office also noted that America PAC had not applied to use the state’s online voter registration system, which requires rigorous security testing and adherence to specific terms of use.
America PAC has spent over $100,000 on digital ads targeting Pennsylvania voters since early July, according to AdImpact.