A Senate counterterrorism expert testified that Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed’s candidacy raises homeland security concerns because of family ties to Muslim Brotherhood-linked groups and connections to a Midwest voter-engagement organization the expert said is tied to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).During a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on Muslim Brotherhood threats in the U.S.that was boycotted by all Democrats assigned to the panel, Sen.
Ted Cruz, R-Texas, asked Center for Security Policy counterterrorism analyst Kyle Shideler if El-Sayed’s bid raised such concerns."Yessir, it does," Shideler told Cruz, explaining that El-Sayed’s father-in-law allegedly has connections to Muslim Brotherhood-linked groups."This includes being the president at one time of CAIR-Michigan," Shideler said of nephrologist Jukaku Tayeb."Also his presence on the Islamic Society of North America Founders Committee, which is only for those most exclusively devoted to ISNA and provide significant amounts of funding."DEMS IN THE HOT SEAT FOR SKIPPING CRUCIAL HEARING ON RADICAL GROUP HIDING IN US: 'EMBARRASSMENT'Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive candidate in the Democratic primary for U.S.
Senate in Michigan, speaks during a primary election night event Wednesday, Aug.5, 2026, at the Majestic Theatre in Detroit.
(Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)"There are other known [Muslim B]rotherhood members on that committee.I would also look at El-Sayed's ties to a group called Emgage, which purports to be a Muslim sort of get out the vote or candidate recruitment organization, but it has close ties to CAIR," Shideler testified.The official bio for Emgage founding member and attorney Khurrum Wahid said the group "works to empower emerging majority communities, with a focus on Muslim Americans, to participate more in public and community and public service.""[Emgage] was created by a former CAIR member who at one time was on a terror watchlist, and was a...