{"id":116942,"date":"2024-10-22T05:00:54","date_gmt":"2024-10-21T22:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=116942"},"modified":"2024-10-22T05:00:54","modified_gmt":"2024-10-21T22:00:54","slug":"conspiracy-theories-and-a-1m-check-a-night-at-elon-musks-surreal-election-giveaway-us-elections-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=116942","title":{"rendered":"Conspiracy theories and a $1m check: a night at Elon Musk\u2019s surreal election giveaway | US elections 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Standing before a large US flag, which spanned the breadth of a vast stage, the world\u2019s richest man told an assembled audience that he loved them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">\u201cThis kind of energy lights a fire in my soul,\u201d he said, having just made one of the crowd a millionaire after everyone chanted his name.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">His love \u2013 and that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2024\/oct\/20\/elon-musk-promises-to-award-1m-every-day-to-voters-as-he-steps-up-campaigning-for-trump\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">$1m<\/a> \u2013 of course, was contingent on them all doing exactly as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/elon-musk\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Elon Musk<\/a> wanted: signing a petition tied to his political action committee (Pac) , which is dedicated to sending <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/donaldtrump\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Donald Trump<\/a> back to the White House.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">The spectacle was both surreal and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2024\/oct\/21\/election-shapiro-musk-1-million-giveaway\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">potentially illegal<\/a>. But no one here, not least Musk himself, seemed to care in the slightest.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"d0151a6b-aed1-4d83-875b-fbe5a03fe08e\" data-spacefinder-role=\"richLink\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement\" class=\" dcr-1your1i\"><gu-island name=\"RichLinkComponent\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"idle\" props=\"{&quot;richLinkIndex&quot;:4,&quot;element&quot;:{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement&quot;,&quot;prefix&quot;:&quot;Related: &quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Musk pledges $1m each day in apparent bid to galvanize Republican voters&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;d0151a6b-aed1-4d83-875b-fbe5a03fe08e&quot;,&quot;role&quot;:&quot;richLink&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2024\/oct\/20\/elon-musk-promises-to-award-1m-every-day-to-voters-as-he-steps-up-campaigning-for-trump&quot;},&quot;ajaxUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/api.nextgen.guardianapps.co.uk&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:10,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0}}\"\/><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">The billionaire was in Pittsburgh on his final stop across the vital swing state of Pennsylvania, having <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2024\/oct\/16\/elon-musk-donald-trump-donation-america-pac\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">donated $75m to help get Trump<\/a> re-elected, and seemingly willing to accept a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/article\/2024\/sep\/05\/trump-musk-efficiency-commission\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">job offer in Trump\u2019s government<\/a> should he win.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Musk\u2019s latest ploy to assist Trump to attain more political power, has been to give away $1m every day to a member of the public, provided they also live in a swing state and are registered to vote.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">The stunt is prohibited and akin to buying votes, in the view of some experts, as it violates federal election <a href=\"https:\/\/www.govinfo.gov\/content\/pkg\/USCODE-2023-title52\/pdf\/USCODE-2023-title52-subtitleI-chap103-sec10307.pdf\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">law<\/a> preventing payments for registering to vote. The state\u2019s Democratic governor, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/article\/2024\/aug\/02\/josh-shapiro-kamala-harris\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Josh Shapiro<\/a>, on Sunday described it as \u201cdeeply concerning\u201d and encouraged law enforcement to \u201ctake a look at\u201d. Musk\u2019s America Pac did not respond to a list of questions from the Guardian after the Pittsburgh town hall.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Sunday\u2019s winner was a woman named Kristine Fishell, who walked down from the theater\u2019s balcony wearing a red Trump T-shirt as Musk waited awkwardly on stage. She thanked him, not only for the money, but also for the \u201cwealth and responsibility, you are using to save [free] speech\u201d. She did not return to her seat after accepting the giant check, and organizers did not make her available for an interview. Hours later a video of Fishell was posted on Musk\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/america\/status\/1848179817050517567\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">X<\/a> platform, where she espoused the virtues of signing his petition to an overlay of soft piano music.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Many of the attendees at the Roxian theatre said they had signed up to attend the event before he announced the $1m giveaway.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Most said they were not concerned by the idea of the world\u2019s richest man taking on a job in Trump\u2019s administration, despite the myriad conflicts of interest that would pose. (Musk\u2019s businesses hold several multi-billion dollar <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/10\/20\/us\/politics\/elon-musk-federal-agencies-contracts.html\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">contracts<\/a> with the US government and Trump has suggested making him a \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/politics\/politics-news\/trump-musk-secretary-of-cost-cutting-1235132825\/\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">secretary of cost-cutting<\/a>\u201d a murky new position within the executive branch.)<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">\u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s a conflict of interest,\u201d said one woman who did not give her name. \u201cI think he is fighting for many Americans who feel their rights are being taken away, especially free speech.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Evan Huber was unfazed by the <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/BernieSanders\/status\/1813025583582093652\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">argument<\/a> that Musk\u2019s entry into government would mark the establishment of a new era of American oligarchy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">\u201cAt that point all you can get is power,\u201d he said, shrugging. \u201cYou already have all the money.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Lauren Stephenson, 40, who described herself as a political independent, arrived at the venue at 8.30am, so set was she to secure a seat.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">\u201cWe need more entrepreneurs,\u201d she said when asked what <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/elon-musk\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Elon Musk<\/a> had ever done for her personally. \u201cI don\u2019t understand why we condemn success. We used to celebrate success.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.NewsletterSignupBlockElement\" class=\" dcr-173mewl\"><a data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" href=\"#EmailSignup-skip-link-17\" class=\"dcr-jzxpee\">skip past newsletter promotion<\/a><\/p>\n<aside aria-label=\"newsletter promotion\" class=\"dcr-av5vqf\">\n<div class=\"dcr-10et71f\">\n<p class=\"dcr-rsfwa\">Sign up to <span>The Stakes \u2014 US Election Edition<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"dcr-1xjndtj\">The Guardian guides you through the chaos of a hugely consequential presidential election<\/p>\n<p><gu-island name=\"SecureSignup\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;newsletterId&quot;:&quot;the-stakes-us-election-edition&quot;,&quot;successDescription&quot;:&quot;The Guardian guides you through the chaos of a hugely consequential presidential election&quot;}\"\/><span class=\"dcr-1eusqlu\"><strong>Privacy Notice: <\/strong>Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our <a data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/help\/privacy-policy\" rel=\"noreferrer\" class=\"dcr-1rjy2q9\">Privacy Policy<\/a>. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google <a data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" href=\"https:\/\/policies.google.com\/privacy\" rel=\"noreferrer\" class=\"dcr-1rjy2q9\">Privacy Policy<\/a> and <a data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" href=\"https:\/\/policies.google.com\/terms\" rel=\"noreferrer\" class=\"dcr-1rjy2q9\">Terms of Service<\/a> apply.<\/span><\/aside>\n<p id=\"EmailSignup-skip-link-17\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"after newsletter promotion\" role=\"note\" class=\"dcr-jzxpee\">after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Stephenson, who was sad not to have won the $1m but said she was planning to buy her first Tesla nonetheless, was frustrated she had been unable to ask a question during the rest of the town hall, which lasted around two hours.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Throughout the event, Musk reiterated a litany of falsehoods tied to Trump\u2019s campaign. He argued that the \u201cconstitution is literally under attack\u201d, spread false claims about voting machines and said that a Trump loss in November could ultimately end American democracy. \u201cI fear if Trump does not win, we are going to have a single-party state that is going to be like California, but actually worse,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Many in the audience asked questions about Musk\u2019s businesses; his views on the future of AI; even if they should be starting their own families. One asked if he would consider running for president himself in 2028. He could not, he explained, due to the natural born citizen clause of the US constitution, and he did not want the job either.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">\u201cI hate politics,\u201d he said. \u201cI just like building stuff. And making products that people love.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"f304fb31-b7f1-41fb-b519-25499b0905f4\" data-spacefinder-role=\"richLink\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement\" class=\" dcr-1your1i\"><gu-island name=\"RichLinkComponent\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"idle\" props=\"{&quot;richLinkIndex&quot;:22,&quot;element&quot;:{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement&quot;,&quot;prefix&quot;:&quot;Related: &quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Trump allies spending millions to dissuade voters in key states from polls&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;f304fb31-b7f1-41fb-b519-25499b0905f4&quot;,&quot;role&quot;:&quot;richLink&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2024\/oct\/21\/trump-maga-swing-states-voters&quot;},&quot;ajaxUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/api.nextgen.guardianapps.co.uk&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:10,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0}}\"\/><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">At one point, when he was asked a question about the future of nuclear power and began extolling the virtues of the sun, an attendee shouted: \u201cYes! Go the sun!\u201d Later on a man began attempting to get the crowd to spontaneously sing the national anthem but no one joined in. Another attendee was removed by security after trying to shout a question out of line.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">But others asked more conspiracy themed questions, including whether Musk would consider financing the viewing of documentaries about child sex trafficking at the US border, or if he would consider creating a Hollywood studio to finance conservative film projects. He offered no firm commitments for any investment opportunities.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Some began to trickle out before the event had finished, and Musk wrapped up with empty seats visible throughout the auditorium. He exited the venue behind a privacy curtain, in a blacked out SUV as the sun began to set over the Ohio river.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">The motorcade did not stop as the Guardian asked from the roadside: \u201cWhy will you not take questions from journalists, too?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2024\/oct\/21\/election-elon-musk-trump-pennsylvania\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Standing before a large US flag, which spanned the breadth of a vast stage, the world\u2019s richest man told an assembled audience that he loved them. \u201cThis kind of energy &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=116942\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8629],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-116942","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-u-s","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116942","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=116942"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116942\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=116942"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=116942"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=116942"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}