The campaign for Abdul El-Sayed, a Democrat looking to maintain a U.S. Senate seat in Michigan, has issued a curious statement following the release of text messages that seem to contradict his assertions about his family’s connections to the Muslim Brotherhood.
El-Sayed has been facing challenges with some traditional Democratic voters, particularly within the Jewish community, due to perceptions of his extremism.
A spokesperson for the Michigan GOP stated, “Abdul’s family is directly tied to the Muslim Brotherhood. Maybe one day he will tell Michiganders the truth … But if not, you can just take his sister’s word for it.”
During an interview on “Meet the Press,” NBC News’ Kristen Welker pressed El-Sayed on whether he or his family had any affiliations with the Muslim Brotherhood. He firmly responded “No,” when asked both about his and his family’s ties.
However, that same day, a report from the Washington Free Beacon revealed social media posts by El-Sayed’s half-sister, which indicated that their family had been involved with the Muslim Brotherhood since at least the early 1970s. In one post from 2012, Eman Abdelhadi mentioned having a discussion with her mother about her activism connected to the group.
Abdelhadi also expressed her complex feelings towards the organization, suggesting that while she had a respect for certain values, she believed that it had navigated the political landscape poorly. In her words, “My family has long been MB, but I’ve always felt that it has navigated the political sphere poorly/destructively.”
In response to these resurfaced messages, El-Sayed’s campaign did not refute their authenticity, instead calling them “lies” stemming from Islamophobic “attacks” initiated by Republican Mike Rogers. A spokesperson claimed, “Abdul is a dad and a doctor. He has spent his entire career working to keep Michiganders healthy and safe.” The campaign further suggested that the allegations were both “racist” and “untrue.”
On the other hand, the Rogers campaign expressed disappointment, stating, “Facts are facts. Abdul’s family is directly tied to the Muslim Brotherhood,” in a social media post.
Senior communications adviser for the Michigan GOP, Greg Manz, criticized El-Sayed sharply, labeling him as “an America-hating terrorist sympathizer” and raising suspicions about his connection to an organization the government has labeled as a terrorist group.
El-Sayed has previously hinted that accusations against him could stem from racial bias, saying he doesn’t dignify such claims because they often stem from stereotypes associated with his name, and reiterated his stance after a debate with Rogers.
It’s worth noting that El-Sayed and his half-sister’s mother worked with a group that was later categorized as a terrorist organization but was never charged with any crimes. Current polls show El-Sayed has a slight lead over Rogers despite the controversies surrounding their campaign.
