El-Sayed Denies Muslim Brotherhood Ties as Fox News Presses Him on Allegations
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In a street interview with Fox News host Bret Baier, Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed denied links to the Muslim Brotherhood and said his loyalty is to the U.S. Constitution, while the interview revisited a 2012 letter and allegations raised by his Republican opponent’s campaign.
Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed confronted Fox News anchor Bret Baier on Friday when Baier asked about alleged ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, a claim promoted by his Republican opponent Mike Rogers’ campaign. El-Sayed interrupted the question, saying the line of inquiry was meant to imply a “dual loyalty,” and insisted that his allegiance is to the Constitution of the United States.
"My loyalty will be to the Constitution of the United States," El-Sayed said.
Baier referenced a 2012 open letter El-Sayed signed concerning Egypt’s former president Mohamed Morsi, a figure associated with the Muslim Brotherhood, but El-Sayed repeated that he has never been a member of the organization and will not join it. He added that questioning his faith was “sad” and below the standards of the president.
The exchange came amid campaign attacks alleging that El-Sayed, a Muslim, holds “dual loyalties” because of his background. No evidence has been found to substantiate a connection between El-Sayed and the Muslim Brotherhood, and the allegations originated from social-media posts by his estranged half-sister.
El-Sayed, who won a contested Democratic primary for the Michigan Senate seat currently held by retiring Senator Gary Peters, leads some polls by a narrow margin ahead of the November election.