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Jimmy Williams
The Michigan Secretary of State’s office has launched an investigation into America PAC, a political action committee backed by billionaire Elon Musk. The inquiry focuses on the PAC’s efforts to collect voter data during the voter registration process. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has publicly stated that he created and financially supports America PAC, which backs former President Donald Trump. According to Forbes, Musk’s net worth is over $225 billion.
The PAC has been gathering detailed voter information from residents in Michigan and other battleground states via its website. Users can click on the “register to vote” tab, where they are prompted to submit their ZIP code, address, and phone number. However, users from Michigan are then directed to a page that simply says “thank you” with no further instructions, creating confusion about the registration process.
“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,” said a spokeswoman for the Michigan Secretary of State’s office in a statement to CNBC. “While America PAC is a federal political action committee, the Department is reviewing their 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.”
CNBC initially reported on the PAC’s practices and noted that the website does not directly register individuals to vote in swing states. A source with direct knowledge of the PAC’s operations admitted that the website links were functional at one point but are currently not working as intended. This person, who requested anonymity to discuss internal matters, indicated that the PAC plans to launch a new website in the coming weeks.
Despite multiple attempts, neither a spokesperson for America PAC nor Musk himself returned emails seeking comment on the issue. Jocelyn Benson, Michigan’s Secretary of State and a Democrat, has been a vocal critic of election-related misinformation, including statements made by former President Trump. Benson’s office has faced legal action from the Republican National Committee at least twice this year, according to legal records.
The legality of America PAC’s actions remains uncertain. Barbara McQuade, a former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, commented, “I am not aware of any laws being broken.” Meanwhile, Mary Massaron, a partner at Plunkett Cooney law firm, expressed concerns but did not specify if state laws were violated. “It is very troubling for any candidate or PAC-funded project to deliberately fail to provide information or a link to register to vote when someone asks because they would potentially vote for the opposing candidates,” she said.
As the investigation continues, the Michigan Secretary of State’s office aims to ensure that voter registration processes are transparent and lawful, safeguarding the integrity of voter data.
