{"id":2319357,"date":"2024-08-05T11:36:02","date_gmt":"2024-08-05T15:36:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michigan-opens-investigation-into-elon-musk-pac-for-potential-election-violations-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-05T11:40:11","modified_gmt":"2024-08-05T15:40:11","slug":"michigan-opens-investigation-into-elon-musk-pac-for-potential-election-violations-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michigan-opens-investigation-into-elon-musk-pac-for-potential-election-violations-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Michigan opens investigation into Elon Musk PAC for potential election violations &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmichigan-opens-investigation-into-elon-musk-pac-for-potential-election-violations-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2319357&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Michigan&#8217;s Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson,\u2064 has initiated an \u2064investigation \u2063into \u200ca <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-risks-fatigue-from-voters-and-donors-as-indictments-pile-up\/\" title=\"Trump faces the risk of voter and donor fatigue as indictments accumulate.\">political action \u2062committee<\/a> (PAC) \u200bbacked by Elon Musk, dubbed the America PAC, which supports former President Donald\u200b Trump. The investigation focuses \u200bon the \u200cPAC&#8217;s methodology\u2063 for collecting voter data, specifically through a webpage that claims to facilitate voter \u2062registration.<\/p>\n<p>Concerns have been raised regarding the PAC&#8217;s &#8220;register to vote&#8221; page, which, after individuals \u2064provide personal information, leads them to a message thanking them and\u2063 suggesting further action \u200bwith a generic prompt \u2062to \u201ccomplete a form below.\u201d However, there is no actual form \u200cto fill out, raising allegations of misleading practices designed to exploit voters&#8217; personal data. Bocce stated, &#8220;Every \u2064citizen \u200bshould know exactly how their\u200b personal information is being used by PACs&#8230;&#8221; highlighting the\u2064 need \u200cfor transparency in such operations.<\/p>\n<p>The investigation is ongoing, and it reflects broader concerns about\u2063 the \u2064use of personal data in political campaign efforts, particularly in\u200b pivotal swing states like Michigan.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Michigan opens investigation into Elon Musk PAC for potential election violations<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1722153\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/michigan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Michigan<\/a>&rsquo;s secretary of state is investigating a new PAC, backed by tech billionaire <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/elon-musk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Elon Musk<\/a>, for its efforts to collect voter data potentially in violation of election laws.<\/p>\n<p>Musk said he created and helped fund the America PAC, a PAC that supports former President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Donald Trump<\/a>. Now, Michigan is investigating the PAC for taking voter data through a potentially misleading &ldquo;register to vote&rdquo; page.<\/p>\n<p>The PAC targets Michigan voters as well as voters in other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/huge-sidney-powell-witness-whom-ny-times-described-as-always-the-smartest-person-in-the-room-concludes-hundreds-of-thousands-of-votes-transferred-from-trump-to-biden-in-all-battleground-states\/\" title=\"HUGE! Sidney Powell Witness Whom NY Times Described as &quot;Always the Smartest Person in the Room&quot; Concludes Hundreds of Thousands of Votes Transferred from Trump to Biden IN ALL BATTLEGROUND STATES\">key battleground states<\/a> after people submit their personal information on a webpage saying &ldquo;register to vote.&rdquo; After one clicks on the &ldquo;register to vote&rdquo; tab on the website, those with an address or ZIP code in a swing state are brought to a page that says &ldquo;thank you&rdquo; and asks people to &ldquo;complete a form below&rdquo; to finish the voter registration process.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>However, there is no other form to complete after the words &ldquo;thank you,&rdquo; which has led some to believe the effort is misleading.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;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,&rdquo; a spokeswoman for the Michigan secretary of state&rsquo;s office said in a statement to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2024\/08\/04\/elon-musk-pac-investigated-michigan.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>CNBC<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;While the 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&rsquo;s office as appropriate,&rdquo; the spokeswoman added.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2024\/02\/26\/1233856035\/jocelyn-benson-michigan-election-security-2024\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Jocelyn Benson<\/a>, a Democrat who is currently Michigan&rsquo;s secretary of state and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/chris-christie-claims-trump-is-now-a-martyr-after-maine-ballot-decision\/\" title=\"Chris Christie says Trump is a &#039;martyr&#039; following Maine ballot ruling\">lead election official<\/a> in the state, has been a vocal opponent of election-related misinformation. The spokeswoman said the investigation is in its early stages and cannot confirm if the focus is on any specific aspect of the PAC at this time.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a vocal supporter of Trump&rsquo;s reelection campaign and in recent years has moved to the right of the political spectrum as a strong critic of diversity initiatives and the Biden administration.<\/p>\n<p>The America PAC did not return the <em>Washington Examiner&rsquo;s<\/em> request for comment.<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1722153\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1722153\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Michigan&#8217;s Secretary of State has launched an investigation into a new political action committee (PAC) associated with tech billionaire Elon Musk, examining its methods of collecting voter data that may breach election laws. Musk has stated that he established and financially supported the America PAC, which endorses former President Donald Trump. The investigation centers on the PAC&#8217;s use of a potentially deceptive &#8220;register to vote&#8221; webpage to gather personal information from Michigan voters and those in other critical battleground states. When users click on the &#8220;register to vote&#8221; link, they are redirected to a page thanking them and prompting them to &#8220;complete a form below&#8221; for voter registration; however, no such form exists after this message, raising concerns about misleading practices. A spokesperson for the Michigan Secretary of State emphasized that citizens should be aware of how their personal data is utilized by PACs claiming to assist with voter registration in Michigan or elsewhere. Although America PAC operates as a federal entity, state officials are assessing its activities for any possible legal infractions and will refer any findings to the Michigan Attorney General if necessary. Jocelyn Benson, Michigan\u2019s Democratic Secretary of State and chief election officer, has been an outspoken critic of misinformation related to elections. The spokesperson noted that the inquiry is still in its initial phase and did not specify whether it targets particular aspects of the PAC at this time. Musk, known for his roles at Tesla and SpaceX, has increasingly aligned himself with right-leaning politics while being an outspoken supporter of Trump&#8217;s reelection efforts in recent years. The America PAC did not respond to requests for comments from the Washington Examiner<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2910,"featured_media":2319358,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/musk-spacex-texas.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[37206,32192,3976,4601,7409],"class_list":["post-2319357","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-election-violations","tag-elon-musk","tag-investigation","tag-michigan","tag-pac"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/musk-spacex-texas.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2319357","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2910"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2319357"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2319357\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2319358"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2319357"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2319357"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2319357"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}