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Paid door knockers hired by a firm linked to America PAC, Elon Musk’s campaign organization supporting former President Donald Trump, are reportedly facing poor working conditions.
The firm flew canvassers to Michigan, transported them in the back of a seatless U-Haul, and threatened them with losing their motel accommodations, Wired reported on Wednesday. One worker even said that they were not initially informed that they would be canvassing for Trump.
The workers were contracted by Blitz Canvassing, a subcontractor for America PAC. In a recent team meeting, canvassers were warned that if they didn’t meet a weekly goal of knocking on more than 1,000 doors, their motel costs would no longer be covered, according to Wired.
America PAC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter from Quartz.
Musk founded America PAC in July, and the group has already spent at least $80 million, primarily on canvassing operations, according to the New York Times (NYT+0.77%). Much of the funding came from Musk himself. Workers are being offered $30 per hour to knock on doors and $47 for every registered voter they get to sign a petition “pledging support for the First and Second Amendments,” the America PAC website states.
Wired’s report of poor working conditions are the latest signs of dysfunction at America PAC. The group also repeatedly switched vendors supplying door knockers, “at one point stranding hundreds of paid door-knockers across the country” as a result, the New York Times reported.
In August, the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office announced it was investigating the PAC following a complaint to the state election board. The complaint alleged that the PAC’s website collected personal data without helping users register to vote as promised.