Michigan Senate Debate: El-Sayed Defends Against Muslim Brotherhood Claims
During the U.S. Senate debate in Michigan on Wednesday night, Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed vehemently rejected any connections to the Muslim Brotherhood, while criticizing Republican opponent Mike Rogers for suggesting such ties.
In his remarks, Rogers pointed to El-Sayed’s past and said, “He was passionate about defunding the police. In fact, he even asked the Muslim Brotherhood, um, President Morsi in Egypt, to also defund the police there. I mean, that’s just unbelievable.”
This statement referred to a 2012 letter reported by The Washington Free Beacon, in which El-Sayed allegedly urged the then-Egyptian president, affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, to reform the country’s police force.
El-Sayed reacted strongly, saying, “To question my commitment to the Constitution is really beneath you.” He emphasized his pride in being American and in upholding the Constitution, which protects individuals’ rights to worship freely. “The fact that you would ask that—it’s actually quite shameful,” he continued, asserting his experience serving under American constitutional values.
Adding to the controversy, El-Sayed faced scrutiny after social media posts from his half-sister surfaced, claiming their mother had ties to Muslim Brotherhood activism in the 1970s. He has contested any personal or familial associations with the group, mentioning that he was not raised by his biological mother.
“He keeps bringing up this supposed connection,” El-Sayed remarked at the debate. “I’ve never been involved. My mom’s a nurse in Missouri; it just doesn’t make sense. It’s quite beneath you, Mike. Really.”
Importantly, no evidence has emerged to support claims that El-Sayed has any connection to the Muslim Brotherhood.
In response, Rogers maintained his stance by shifting focus. “This is not about you being a victim. It’s about an ideology—an ideology that is banned in five Muslim countries and another six elsewhere. It’s a concern for law enforcement here because they see it linked to funding overseas operations.”
