On Wednesday’s broadcast of CNN’s “The Source,” Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed responded to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (D) saying that she’ll skip the state party’s nominating convention because she wouldn’t feel safe there by saying that everyone should be safe, but “I think there is a challenge when folks try to use the specter of antisemitism to extend it toward protecting a foreign government against criticism. And I think that’s the place that the Attorney General and I might disagree.”
Host Kaitlan Collins asked, “One thing during the campaign that we saw people in your state talk about, the Attorney General, Dana Nessel, she’s Jewish, she said she’s not going to go to the Democratic Party’s nominating convention that’s happening this month in your state. She says she doesn’t feel safe there. You, earlier today, in your acceptance speech, when you got the nomination, said that you want to work to protect Jewish Americans, to make them feel safe. How do you plan to do that? What does that look like for you, personally?”
El-Sayed answered, “Well, I happen to remember the nominating convention in 2018, when then-Attorney General nominee Dana Nessel asks me — asked me to read her nomination officially into the books. And so, she felt perfectly safe with us there. I think it’s important that all of us feel safe. And Jewish safety, to me, is a priority, just like the safety of my own daughters. But I do think it’s important for us to differentiate between safety and between our different political positions about the interests of a foreign government. And I do think that it’s unfortunate when people mix those issues. I’ve been very, very clear, Jewish people and Judaism are a light unto the world. I’m deeply grateful for them, and I will always stand with the Jewish people against any antisemitism in any type. Just like I understand the experience of being discriminated against for how I pray, I don’t want anybody discriminated against for how they pray, but that’s not the same as AIPAC or Israel. And I think there is a challenge when folks try to use the specter of antisemitism to extend it toward protecting a foreign government against criticism. And I think that’s the place that the Attorney General and I might disagree. I’d be happy to have that conversation with her. But, up until recently, we’ve had a great relationship, and I was honored that she invited me to read her nomination back in 2018, where I would think that she probably felt safe.”
Collins then asked, “You said up until recently, what is the state of your relationship with her right now?”
El-Sayed responded, “That’s kind of unimportant, but I do think all of us need to unite around beating Mike Rogers, around beating Republicans. And, our relationship — likely — I haven’t had a long conversation with her, but I do think it has a lot to do with the fact that I do talk about the fact that our responsibilities are here, rather than backstopping a foreign government, and on that, she and I disagree. But I do hope that she feels safe at our nominating convention. I think it’s really important for all people to feel safe, and it’s a thing that I am committed to. So, I do hope that she comes. We want all Democrats to be a part of the movement that we need to take on to address Donald Trump. … [Y]ou deserve to feel safe in this country, you deserve to feel safe in the Democratic Party. I’m committed to that. But I do think that we need to be very clear about differentiating between that and the interests of a foreign government.”
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