Fact Check: Did Republicans offer $200 per person to disrupt Abdul El-Sayed’s event?
LANSING, MICHIGAN: As Republicans are projected to face losses in the upcoming midterm elections, a rumor has been circulating on social media claiming that the GOP offered $200 per person to disrupt Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed’s event.
The claim has sparked criticism and speculation among online users, prompting a fact-check of the viral rumor.
Claim: Republicans offered $200 to disrupt Abdul El-Sayed’s event
The claim originated from a post on X that purportedly showed a screenshot of a University of Michigan College Republicans group chat.
According to the post, a user was coordinating attendance at El-Sayed’s event at Flint Town Hall, with plans to ask coordinated questions, boo the candidate and amplify the event through the media.
The post also alleged that attendees were offered $200 each, funded by the conservative PAC America Next.
The alleged leaked chat read, “EVERYONE! Abdul El-Sayed is having a Town Hall event this Saturday at 11 AM in Flint. I need every single one of you to come. If you don't know, I asked Abdul a tough question during his last town hall meeting, and it generated a VERY negative news cycle for him.”
“We are going to coordinate questions to ask him and spread out to increase the chances we're called on. We're gonna boo him. We're gonna show everyone that ABDUL IS NOT WELCOME IN THE SENATE. Savannah Craven (huge conservative influencer) will be there and would love to interview everyone who comes.”
“The organization America Next reached out to me to set this up. They offered everyone who comes to show out against Abdul $100. I told them make it $200. AND THEY DID.”
Fact Check: The claim is unconfirmed
The claim that attendees were offered $200 each to disrupt El-Sayed’s event has been reported by several credible news outlets.
However, the reports do not establish that the initiative was directly linked to the GOP.
According to a report by The Michigan Daily, the offer was made by engineering student Iman Dashti on October 1. Dashti reportedly claimed to be acting on behalf of America Next, the conservative political action committee financing the initiative.
However, there is no credible evidence establishing Dashti’s association with the GOP. Therefore, the claim that Republicans offered $200 per person to disrupt El-Sayed’s event is rated as unconfirmed.
Abdul El-Sayed defends Iran policy
Dashti, an Iranian American, made headlines last month after accusing El-Sayed of hurting his community by adopting a foreign policy stance that he claimed was too lenient toward the Iranian government amid the conflict in the Middle East.
El-Sayed argued that foreign intervention and regime change could advance corporate interests and harm civilians.
"One can disagree with the governance of a foreign country. One can stand in solidarity with freedom and democracy movements," El-Sayed said. "I will always stand for and with democratic movements always."
