Rogers Escalates Muslim Brotherhood Claims Against El-Sayed

Republican Mike Rogers and allies have intensified claims linking Democratic Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed to the Muslim Brotherhood, while El-Sayed denies any connection and says he disavows the group. The accusations have become part of a close contest in which both campaigns are seeking support from voters across traditional party lines, including Jewish and Black voters. President Donald Trump made the allegations during a White House exchange on Friday, calling El-Sayed a jihadist and accusing him of Muslim Brotherhood ties. Video of the exchange showed Trump offering no evidence for the accusations. Rogers has also challenged El-Sayed’s position, including after an Oct. 17 town hall at which El-Sayed said he would disavow the group. Rogers has cited old social-media posts by El-Sayed’s half-sister concerning their mother’s alleged involvement with the organization in the 1970s. El-Sayed has said he was not raised by his mother and denies having a connection to the group. He also wrote in 2011 in support of U.S. backing for Egyptian protesters associated with the Muslim Brotherhood and signed a 2012 open letter supporting Mohamed Morsi, according to reporting on...