Michigan Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed Rejects Muslim Brotherhood Allegations at Town Hall
Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed publicly disavowed the Muslim Brotherhood during a town-hall meeting and said accusations of dual loyalty are unfounded.
Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed used a town-hall forum in Caro to reject claims that he is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist political movement. When an audience member repeatedly asked him to disavow the organization, El-Sayed responded that his allegiance is to the U.S. Constitution, saying, "> You assume … that because I am Muslim, that somehow I would have some allegiance to something that is not our Constitution. For me, that Constitution is the guiding light."
El-Sayed noted that attacks on his family’s past connections are "an insane thing to assume" and urged voters to evaluate him based on his record, stating, "> I’m running for office. Judge me by my actions and my work."
The questioning follows recent remarks by Republican opponents, including his challenger Mike Rogers and President Donald Trump, who have suggested possible ties to the group. The controversy was amplified by resurfaced tweets from El-Sayed’s half-sister referencing her mother’s activism with the Muslim Brotherhood in the 1970s. El-Sayed said he has no knowledge of his mother’s activities in Egypt during that period.
The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt, officially rejects violence but has offshoots that have been linked to attacks. In November, President Trump signed an executive order allowing certain chapters of the group to be considered for designation as foreign terrorist organizations. El-Sayed characterized the line of questioning as rooted in bigotry, saying, "> To insinuate that because of my Muslim faith I would have anything but allegiance to the Constitution should be called into question."