Shameless.
  • SeaJ@lemm.ee
    29·
    7 months ago

    To all those wondering how this is legal: nowhere does it ask people to vote for Trump. The petition asks people to pledge their support for the Constitution, free speech, and the 2nd Amendment. Signing it does not indicate you are voting for Trump. But I could absolutely see the signatures being used for propaganda.

    • 11111one11111@lemmy.world
      1·
      7 months ago

      Wait is it really illegal for a billionaire to pay voters $100 from their own pocket for voters to sign a pledge? Even if the pledge was titled “so Trump wins”

      • SeaJ@lemm.ee
        1·
        7 months ago

        Not sure if it is explicitly illegal but there would absolutely be lawsuits with good reason. Imagine a district where 51% of the people sign a pledge to vote for a candidate but the candidate only gets 47% of the vote and losses the election. The candidate with the pledged voters would scream voter fraud and their backers would likely get violent. Considering we had that happen with almost zero voter fraud in 2020, it would not be an unlikely scenario.

          • SeaJ@lemm.ee
            1·
            7 months ago

            I’m not the one who said doing what is in the article was illegal. I’m the one saying that it is not illegal. Sorry that I have not memorized the entirety of voting law. If you want a legal opinion, go search a fucking law blog. Law is generally not black and white which is why there are legal opinions on every law but if you want the one referenced, it is 52 U.S. Code § 10307 section C:

            © False information in registering or voting; penalties

            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: Provided, however, That this provision shall be applicable only to general, special, or primary elections held solely or in part for the purpose of selecting or electing any candidate for the office of President, Vice President, presidential elector, Member of the United States Senate, Member of the United States House of Representatives, Delegate from the District of Columbia, Guam, or the Virgin Islands, or Resident Commissioner of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

            So very likely yes, if Musk was paying people to pledge to vote for Trump, it would be illegal and would be punished by up to five years in prison. Paying people to pledge support for free speech, the 2nd Amendment, and the Constitution would not be.

            Happy?