Michigan’s Secretary of State is investigating a political action committee linked to Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk for its voter data collection activities.
What Happened: The PAC, named America PAC, was established and funded by Musk to support former President Donald Trump. The committee has been gathering detailed voter information from Michigan and other swing states, CNBC reported on Sunday.
Michigan residents and those from other battleground states are asked to provide their data through the PAC’s website’s “register to vote” section. However, the website does not directly register voters from swing states.
The Michigan Secretary of State’s office is reviewing the PAC’s activities to determine if any state laws have been violated. The office will refer potential violations to the Michigan Attorney General’s office if necessary.
"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, according to the report.
Michigan’s Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson, has been an outspoken critic of election-related misinformation and has faced legal challenges from the Republican National Committee.
America PAC’s website links were initially functioning correctly but are currently not operational. The PAC plans to launch a new website in the coming weeks, according to the report.
Why It Matters: The investigation into America PAC comes amid heightened scrutiny of its data collection practices. The PAC, which supports Trump, has been using voter data to bolster Trump’s campaign over other candidates like Kamala Harris.
America PAC has been running digital ads to promote voter registration, but the process varies depending on the user’s location. In battleground states, users are asked to provide detailed personal information.
In a recent interview with Jordan Peterson, Musk denied claims of donating $45 million monthly to Trump’s campaign. Instead, he clarified that America PAC is a legal entity designed to support political campaigns, allowing more funds to flow into the political system than direct donations to candidates.
Musk’s endorsement of Trump has also been a topic of discussion. In a conversation with Lex Fridman, Musk stated that his support for Trump does not mean he agrees with everything the former president says. He emphasized that endorsements should not be seen as blanket agreements with all actions or statements of the endorsed individual.
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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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