Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed sharply rejected Republican Sen. Mike Rogers' accusations linking him to the Muslim Brotherhood during a U.S. Senate debate in Michigan. The exchange occurred as Rogers questioned El-Sayed's views on law enforcement funding, alleging that the Democrat had encouraged Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi to defund police forces in his country.
Rogers stated that El-Sayed was passionate about defunding the police and referenced a letter reported by The Washington Free Beacon. The publication noted that El-Sayed signed a document in 2012 calling on Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, to purge Egypt's police force. Rogers described the incident as unbelievable and used it to challenge El-Sayed's commitment to the Constitution.
El-Sayed responded by expressing pride in his American identity and the Constitution's guarantee of religious freedom. He characterized Rogers' questions as shameful, noting that he has served under the Constitution and that questioning his commitment to it was beneath Rogers. The candidate argued that the line of questioning was inappropriate and disrespectful.
The debate also touched on resurfaced social media posts from El-Sayed's half-sister. These posts alleged that their mother was involved in Muslim Brotherhood activism in the 1970s. El-Sayed denied any personal or family ties to the organization, clarifying that he was not raised by his biological mother. He described the accusations as nonsensical, pointing out that his mother, a nurse in Missouri, had no connection to the group.
Rogers pressed the issue, stating that the matter concerned an ideology rather than El-Sayed personally. He claimed the ideology is banned in five Muslim countries and another six nations. Rogers further asserted that the ideology is concerning to U.S. law enforcement because it is used for funding overseas operations. He dismissed El-Sayed's response as an attempt to position himself as a victim.
El-Sayed maintained that he has never been part of the Muslim Brotherhood. The exchange highlighted ongoing political tensions regarding foreign affiliations and domestic security policies in the Michigan race. The candidate continued to defend his record while Rogers persisted in linking him to the organization's activities abroad.