Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed Accepts Funds From Muslim Brotherhood Supporters
Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed received over $25,000 from individuals who co-signed a 2012 letter urging a purge of Egyptian media and police.
Federal Election Commission records reveal that Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, received at least $25,850 in campaign contributions from six individuals who co-signed a 2012 letter supporting the Muslim Brotherhood. The letter, signed by 46 self-described Egyptian community leaders, urged then-President Mohamed Morsi to purge Egypt's media and police to support the Muslim Brotherhood government.
Key donors include Dr. Hesham Gayar, who contributed over $13,000, and Ahmed Shehata, CEO of Islamic Relief USA. Another donor, Dr. Khaled Elsayes, donated at least $2,750 but denied signing the 2012 document, claiming supporters of Morsi added the names of successful expats without their consent.
During a televised debate on October 21, Republican opponent Mike Rogers challenged El-Sayed, alleging his campaign is funded by groups supporting Hamas and Hezbollah and characterizing these ties as a national security risk. El-Sayed has denied ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and dismissed scrutiny of his family, though he has not addressed his decision to sign the 2012 letter. The controversy follows the United States' formal classification of large branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist groups in 2025 and 2026.
