Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed has apologized for comments made after a synagogue attack earlier this year, stating, “To anybody who feels like my comments may have been hurtful, I’m really sorry.” The remarks came as El-Sayed sought to mend fences with Jewish Democrats in Michigan.
El-Sayed's apology addresses criticism from within his own party, including Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, regarding his initial response to an attack on a suburban Detroit synagogue. Federal investigators allege the gunman was inspired by Hezbollah and radicalized by anti-Israel sentiments. El-Sayed's initial comment, “Hurt people, hurt people,” drew criticism for potentially offering context rather than condemnation.
In an appearance before the Michigan Democrats' Jewish Caucus and in an interview with Fox News Digital, El-Sayed clarified that his intention was not to justify the attack. "What I was trying to do was offer context for why it happened, but it wasn’t the time for context and you don’t ever want to trample somebody’s pain," he said. He affirmed his condemnation of the terrorist attack, stating, "We condemned it outright."
Despite the apology, Republican rival Mike Rogers has characterized El-Sayed's statement as a "sham apology." Rogers contends that El-Sayed has a history of