Campaign Donation Scrutiny
Michigan Senate Candidate Abdul El-Sayed Faces Scrutiny Over Family Campaign Donations
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Colorado’s Senate seat last went to a Republican in 2014, when Cory Gardner was elected; Hickenlooper defeated Gardner in 2020, returning the seat to Democratic control.
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The Alaska poll cited in the article surveyed 800 likely voters and had a 3.9-percentage-point margin of error; it was conducted by Fabrizio Ward and Impact Research for AARP.
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The Alaska article says the polling period overlapped with a sharp rise in diesel prices and reports that President Trump said fuel prices might not fall until after the midterms.
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Jewish Insider reports that El-Sayed received $7,000 directly from Amani Barakat, part of $33,550 in donations from the Barakat family. It also says Al-Awda praised Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in a statement saluting the “Palestinian Resistance,” and has collaborated with groups including Samidoun, which the U.S. Treasury Department identified as a fundraiser for the PFLP terrorist organization.
Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed received $33,550 in donations from the Barakat family, according to Jewish Insider, raising questions about his campaign's financial ties. The contributions include $7,000 directly from Amani Barakat and $10,000 monthly payments to a consulting firm owned by Barakat's son, who Jewish Insider says had no apparent campaign-work background.
Jewish Insider reports that Barakat's organization, Al-Awda, has ties to groups designated as supporting terrorism, including praising Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. The donations have drawn scrutiny as El-Sayed campaigns for his first Senate term in a competitive race.
Family Donations and Consulting Payments Questioned
El-Sayed's campaign received $33,550 from members of the Barakat family between 2023 and 2024, Jewish Insider reported. Of that sum, $7,000 came directly from Amani Barakat. The campaign also paid $120,000 annually — $10,000 monthly — to a consulting firm owned by Barakat's son, the outlet said.
Jewish Insider found no public record of the consulting firm's owner having previous campaign experience or client work. The payments raised questions about whether the firm provided legitimate consulting services or represented an indirect way to funnel money to the campaign.
Barakat Organization Linked to Extremist Groups
Al-Awda, Barakat's organization, has collaborated with groups the U.S. Treasury Department designated as terrorist-related entities, according to Jewish Insider. In a 2024 statement, Al-Awda praised Hamas's October 7 attacks, calling it the "Palestinian Resistance," the outlet reported.
Jewish Insider identified Samidoun as one group Al-Awda has worked with. The U.S. Treasury Department labeled Samidoun a fundraiser for the PFLP, designated a foreign terrorist organization. These ties complicate El-Sayed's campaign as it enters the final stretch before Election Day.
El-Sayed Campaign Faces Scrutiny Over Financial Ties
The El-Sayed campaign has not publicly addressed the Jewish Insider report or the nature of the payments to Barakat's consulting firm. Campaign officials have not explained why such substantial monthly payments were made to a firm with no apparent track record in political consulting.
The revelations come as El-Sayed seeks to win Michigan's open Senate seat in a race Democrats hope to defend. Questions about campaign finances and donor connections typically intensify scrutiny in competitive Senate races during the final months before voting.
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