Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed faced questions this week about his ties to the Soros family after he criticized Republican opponent Mike Rogers for accepting corporate donations.
In an interview with Fox News’ “The Story” on Monday, anchor Martha MacCallum pressed El-Sayed on whether his own donor relationships undercut his campaign pledge to get “money out of politics.” El-Sayed’s graduate education was partly funded by the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans, and George Soros’ nephew, Jeffrey Soros, hosted a fundraiser for him in Los Angeles last month, according to footage reviewed by Fox News Digital. Soros family-linked political committees have also put millions of dollars behind El-Sayed’s Senate campaign.
“There’s a big difference there,” El-Sayed said when asked to reconcile his criticism of corporate money with his acceptance of support tied to wealthy individual donors. “When individuals want to give to my campaign, I welcome their support. You know what I don’t do? I don’t call corporations. I don’t call AIPAC… Individuals who want to support a campaign, that’s different.”
El-Sayed argued that the distinction matters because corporate donations come with expectations attached. “Here’s the difference. When you take their money and then you’re… in a position to govern on their issues, guess what happens? You turn a blind eye. You vote 19 times to keep prescription drug prices high,” he said.
MacCallum also asked El-Sayed about the $30 million the Senate Majority PAC has pledged to support his campaign, noting that such funds often trace back to corporate interests. “Do you know where that money comes from?” she asked. “It comes from corporations… you don’t think that those interests, those people are going to circle back around to you in Washington and say, ‘So, senator, we gave this much money…'”
El-Sayed rejected the idea that the groups backing him would expect anything in return. “They won’t, because I’ve been very, very clear that I am not interested in doing the bidding of corporations. I will not sit down with a corporate lobbyist,” he said. “We need to get the corporations out, and right now, corporations are buying politicians at a record clip.”
He went on to describe corporate influence as a bipartisan problem. “In my primary and in the general election, the same corporations are funding politicians. And this is the problem,” El-Sayed said. “Both sides of the aisle funded by exactly the same corporation – that’s what I want to end. I don’t think they should be able to buy any of us. And that’s exactly what I want to end. So, when I say money out of politics, I intend fully to get corporate money out of politics.”
The interview comes as former President Barack Obama is expected to campaign with El-Sayed in Michigan later this month, as Democrats make a final push ahead of the midterm elections. El-Sayed also told Fox News that Iran’s nuclear threat had been contained before President Donald Trump launched military action, and said he does not intend to “choke out” billionaires.
