A tense exchange between a Michigan student and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed during a town hall Wednesday has gone viral.
A tense exchange between a Michigan student and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed during a town hall Wednesday has gone viral, with the student now speaking out.
During the town hall, Michigan student Iman Dashti pressed El-Sayed on whether he stand[s] unequivocally against the IRGC.
In another moment from the event, Dashti told El-Sayed, “You still haven't said it. We're dying. The IRGC. Do you stand with us?” El-Sayed responded in part, “Like I said, I will always stand with movements for freedom and democracy.”
After the exchange, Dashti continued his criticism in a separate interview with Fox News, saying, “It's so simple. Just say it. Just say you're against the worlds largest sponsor of terror. Just say you're against the government that's killed hundreds of Persians and Americans. But he didn't.”
At the town hall, Dashti also confronted El-Sayed about leaked audio from earlier this year in which El-Sayed said he did not want to comment on the death of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Dashti asked whether El-Sayed regretted that silence, saying, "I want to ask if you renounce the people who held vigils that supported this terrorist for all the stuff that he's done.” El-Sayed responded during the town hall, saying, “For too long and too often, when we think about our role in the world, we have turned ourselves into the world's policeman.”
The exchange comes just under six weeks until Election Day and as more information emerges about the 'Fighting for Michigan PAC,' an independent committee supporting El-Sayed. A document shows the PAC paid $25,000 to Politiclip, a political clipping service intended to generate and maximize video engagement, typically aimed at helping with the youth vote.
Separate from the 'Fighting for Michigan PAC,' El-Sayed has also generated support from the 'Senate Majority PAC,' which has committed $30 million in total spending to support the Democratic nominee. El-Sayed’s campaign was contacted for comment but has yet to respond.
