Philadelphia's district attorney has requested an emergency hearing from a federal judge to address the ongoing legal dispute surrounding Elon Musk's $1 million giveaway to voters. The judge has ordered Musk to respond by Friday at 10 a.m. ET, indicating that a resolution will not be reached immediately as requested by prosecutors.
The district attorney, Larry Krasner, criticized Musk for attempting to shift the civil lawsuit from Pennsylvania state court to federal court. This move, made late on Wednesday night, disrupted a scheduled hearing in state court on whether the sweepstakes should be halted.
Prosecutors accused Musk of using legal tactics to delay a ruling on the Preliminary Injunction and prolong the case until election day. Krasner has urged for a swift determination of jurisdiction, with hopes of returning the case to state court for expedited proceedings.
Both parties have submitted legal briefs to the federal court, where Judge Jerry Pappert, a Republican and former Pennsylvania attorney general appointed by Barack Obama, presides. The judge may decide to retain jurisdiction or transfer the case back to state court, potentially holding a hearing on the matter.
Krasner's office emphasized the urgency of halting any illegal activities that could impact Philadelphia residents and undermine the integrity of elections. They argued that the complaint solely involves state law claims and should not be subject to federal removal.
