The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.
Justice Department warns Elon Musk that his $1 million giveaway to registered voters may be illegal
The Justice Department warned Elon Musk鈥檚 America PAC in recent days that his US$1 million sweepstakes to registered voters in swing states may violate federal law, people briefed on the matter told CNN.
Musk, who has thrown his support behind former President Donald Trump and is spending millions of dollars supporting his candidacy, has publicized the US$1 million prize by his political action committee aiming to increase voter registrations in hotly contested states.
Musk鈥檚 initial promise to pay prizes to registered voters immediately raised concerns from election law experts and some state officials who questioned whether it ran afoul of the law.
Federal law bars paying people to register to vote. The language of the petition currently promises US$1 million prizes to people chosen at random for signing a petition in support of First and Second Amendment freedoms. But to sign the petition, you must be registered to vote in specific states.
A letter from the Justice Department鈥檚 public integrity section, which investigates potential election-related law violations, went to Musk鈥檚 political action committee, according to people briefed on the matter.
CNN has reached out seeking comment from Musk, several email addresses listed on the super PAC鈥檚 website, the group鈥檚 treasurer, and Musk鈥檚 press team at the X platform.
The Justice Department declined to comment.
鈥淲e want to try to get over a million, maybe 2 million voters in the battleground states to sign the petition in support of the First and Second Amendment,鈥 Musk said in announcing the sweepstakes at a Trump campaign event in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. 鈥淲e are going to be awarding US$1 million randomly to people who have signed the petition, every day, from now until the election.鈥
In response to a post claiming Musk was 鈥減aying to register Republicans,鈥 Musk winners 鈥渃an be from any or no political party and you don鈥檛 even have to vote.鈥 He did not address the potential legal problem of only opening the lottery to registered voters.
On Sunday, the second day of the sweepstakes, the super PAC around the giveaway, describing the money as payment for a job. In social media posts, the group said winners would be 鈥渟elected to earn US$1M as a spokesperson for America PAC鈥 鈥 and subsequently posted pro-Trump testimonial videos featuring the winners.
However, several election law experts who spoke to CNN that the fine print on Musk鈥檚 super PAC website explaining the official terms of entry did not change. Only petition signers can win the US$1 million prize, and signers 鈥渕ust be registered voters of Arizona, Michigan, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, or Wisconsin.鈥
It鈥檚 not clear when Musk received the Justice Department鈥檚 letter and whether it prompted changes to messaging around the giveaway.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau says Liberals 'strong and united' despite caucus dissent
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the Liberal party is 'strong and united,' despite efforts from within his caucus to oust him as leader.
A memorial is growing outside a Walmart in Halifax after a 19-year-old employee was found dead inside an oven in the store Saturday night.
A search has started at Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two victims of a serial killer.
'Canadians can breathe a sigh of relief': Bank of Canada Governor on interest rate cut
The Bank of Canada made a sizable cut to its key lending rate Wednesday from 4.25 per cent to 3.75 per cent as the global economy continues to expand. The half percentage point cut is the fourth rate cut in a row by the central bank as inflation dropped from 2.7 per cent in June to 1.6 per cent in September.
He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.
BREAKING Turkish jets strike Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria following attack on defence company
Turkiye鈥檚 air force struck Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria on Wednesday in apparent retaliation for an attack at a key state-run defence company that killed five people and wounded more than a dozen others.
Air Transat laying off hundreds of flight attendants, says cuts are temporary
Air Transat says it is laying off as many as 400 flight attendants, but plans to bring them back to work at some point.
Justice Department warns Elon Musk that his $1 million giveaway to registered voters may be illegal
The Justice Department warned Elon Musk鈥檚 America PAC in recent days that his US$1 million sweepstakes to registered voters in swing states may violate federal law, people briefed on the matter told CNN.
Local Spotlight
He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.
A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.
Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.
A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.
A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.
A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.
Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.
Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.
The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.