SACRAMENTO, CA – California State Senator Thomas J. Umberg (D-34th) introduced Senate Bill 398 this past week, criminalizing the use of lotteries for voter registration.
During the 2024 election, Umberg reports Elon Musk offered $1 million to voters in swing states, and founded the “America PAC” to support Donald Trump winning the 2024 presidential election.
Sen. Umberg charges, “In October of 2024, Musk announced that America PAC would be giving away $1 million in a lottery to someone in a swing state who signed a petition under the pretense of supporting the First and Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.”
Umberg, however, notes that “vote buying is patently illegal federally and in every state,” and what Musk has “done is spit in the face of our founders, longstanding campaign ethics, and federal election law.”
As Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and member and prior Chair of the Senate Elections Committee, Umberg urges, “Californians should not tolerate such blatant interference with our elections by wealthy oligarchs like Elon Musk.”
Umberg claims SB 398 would make it a crime to offer money or other valuable incentives, such as lotteries, to register to vote. Violators could face up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
“We need to hold those like Elon Musk who seek to bend our institutions to their own selfish whims accountable,” stressed Sen. Umberg, adding, “If Mr. Musk wants to muck around in election ethics, he can try that in Texas. My bill will make it clear that such interference in one of our most sacred duties as citizens is not welcome in California.”
Umberg said the measure will likely be heard in policy committees in March.
