Benson opens inquiry into Elon Musk-related PAC

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has opened an inquiry into whether a political action committee controlled by billionaire Elon Musk broke the state’s election laws.

Musk’s America PAC website gathered detailed information from user submissions on a section described as helping people across the country register to vote. But it is not clear how that information is being used or how often people in Michigan and other battleground states are being directed to their states’ voter registration site.

CNBC reported Friday that America PAC collects user-submitted personal information without directing people in battleground states to voter registration sites.

“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,” said Benson spokesperson Angela Benander. “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.”

She said potential violations would be referred to the Michigan Attorney General’s office for further investigation and possible legal action.

Christopher Thomas, a former state elections director, said the situation appears to be unprecedented and it is not clear this would be covered by state election tampering laws.

“This is something that we haven’t seen before,” he told the Michigan Public Radio Network. “Clearly, it could be, I think, seen as an interference with someone attempting to vote. Obviously, you first have to be registered. Do these folks walk away with the impression that they are registered to vote? I don’t know. It raises a lot of questions.”

An emailed Michigan Republican Party statement said Benson, a Democrat, is more concerned with targeting efforts to help former President Donald Trump than ensuring election integrity – and called the inquiry “a wild goose chase.”