(NewsNation) — Former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly says Elon Musk’s support of Donald Trump is likely a business arrangement centered on electric vehicle infrastructure, describing their relationship as “the art of the deal.”
“The Musk-Trump relationship is a business deal,” O’Reilly said Monday on NewsNation’s “On Balance.” “In return, there’s nothing really defined, but I can tell you what Musk needs. He needs EV charging stations.”
O’Reilly speculated that Musk could benefit from government cooperation in placing charging stations if Trump wins the presidency, calling it “the likely quid pro quo.”
The comments came after Musk promised Saturday to give away $1 million each day until November’s election to someone who signs his online petition, with the first prize awarded at a PAC event supporting Trump, raising questions about the legality of the payments.
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Musk gave a $1 million check to an attendee of his America PAC event in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, aimed at rallying supporters behind presidential candidate Trump.
The money is the latest example of Musk using his extraordinary wealth to influence the tightly contested presidential race between Trump and his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris.
Musk started America PAC, a political action organization he founded in support of Trump’s presidential campaign. The group is helping mobilize and register voters in battleground states, but there are signs it is having trouble meeting its goals.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Sunday that Musk’s plan to give money to registered voters in Pennsylvania is “deeply concerning” and “it’s something that law enforcement could take a look at.”
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Questions about the legality of these cash payments abounded on Saturday night as election law experts pointed to various provisions in federal law that prohibited making cash payments to voters.
It is a federal crime to pay people with the intention of inducing or rewarding them to cast a vote or to get registered, an offense punishable by prison time. The prohibition covers not only monetary expenditures but also anything of monetary value like liquor or lottery chances, according to a Justice Department election crimes manual.
O’Reilly defended the legality of Musk’s raffle system while acknowledging concerns about money in politics. “What Musk did was very clever. He didn’t break any laws, as far as my legal experts can tell, because he’s holding a raffle as an incentive to sign his petition,” O’Reilly said. “That’s legal.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
