The Democratic primary in Michigan has become increasingly messy, with one of the front-runners, Abdul El-Sayed, facing intense scrutiny over his past statements on defunding the police.
El-Sayed, who is running for the Democratic nomination in Michigan against Rep. Haley Stevens, has repeatedly denied ever calling for defunding the police, going so far as to claim that he deleted old tweets embracing the ideology.
However, unearthed interviews and video from years earlier paint a different picture. In a 2017 video published by the University of Michigan, El-Sayed argued that funding police and their use of force was a facet of systemic racism and constituted a public health issue.
El-Sayed questioned the need for police to use guns and suggested that the country should invest more in addressing poverty and empowering communities, rather than policing it. He also argued that defunding the police meant disinvesting in incarceration and investing in education and community empowerment.
El-Sayed's campaign has attempted to spin his stance as "refunding" the police to ensure taxpayer dollars don't flow to "buy war materiel to wage war in our streets." However, his past statements continue to haunt him, with some critics accusing him of being inconsistent and out of touch with his community.
El-Sayed's campaign has pushed back against the criticism, citing his experience working closely with law enforcement during his time as director of Health, Human, and Veterans Services for Wayne County, Michigan. They argue that his perspective has become more nuanced over time and that he now advocates for community-based solutions to address violence and poverty.
Despite his attempts to clean up his position on the matter, El-Sayed continues to face scrutiny over his past statements. His inability to shake off his old posts and interviews has raised questions about his ability to connect with voters and navigate the complex issues facing the country.
In the highly competitive primary, El-Sayed is vying for a seat that Republicans are eager to flip, and his progressive credentials have earned him endorsements from prominent figures like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. However, his struggles to articulate a clear position on policing and public safety may ultimately prove to be a liability in the general election.
