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Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed was challenged over his ties to billionaire Democratic mega-donor George Soros after criticizing his Republican opponent Mike Rogers for accepting money from corporations.
"There's a big difference there," El-Sayed said during an exclusive interview with "The Story" Monday.
El-Sayed’s graduate education was partially funded by the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans and George Soros’ wealthy nephew, Jeffrey Soros, hosted El-Sayed at a Los Angeles fundraiser last month, according to footage reviewed by Fox News Digital.
As El-Sayed campaigns on a pledge to get "money out of politics," he was pressed by anchor Martha MacCallum on Monday about whether his relationships with wealthy donors undercut that message.
"When individuals want to give to my campaign, I welcome their support," he said, defending his relationship with the Soros family.
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"You know what I don't do? I don't call corporations. I don't call AIPAC… Individuals who want to support a campaign, that's different."
The Soros family’s political machine has dumped millions into political committees that are supporting El-Sayed’s run for Senate.
El-Sayed maintained that "corporations shouldn’t buy politicians," arguing that accepting support from wealthy individual donors is different from soliciting corporate money.
"Here's the difference. When you take their money and then you're ... in a position to govern on their issues, [and] guess what happens? You turn a blind eye. You vote 19 times to keep prescription drug prices high."
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El-Sayed was further challenged about the $30 million pledged by the Senate Majority PAC to help him get elected.
"Do you know where that money comes from?" MacCallum asked. "It comes from corporations… you don't think that those interests, those people are going to circle back around to you in Washington and say, 'So, senator, we gave this much money…’"
The Michigan Democrat insisted the groups supporting his candidacy "won’t" come back looking for votes in return.
"They won't, because I've been very, very clear that I am not interested in doing the bidding of corporations. I will not sit down with a corporate lobbyist," El-Sayed said.
"We need to get the corporations out, and right now corporations are buying politicians at a record clip."
El-Sayed went on to detail his push to reduce corporate influence in politics, arguing that lobbyists shape lawmakers’ votes and divert attention from constituents.
"In my primary and in the general election, the same corporations are funding politicians. And this is the problem," he said. "Both sides of the aisle funded by exactly the same corporation – that's what I wanna end."
"I don't think they should be able to buy any of us. And that's exactly what I want to end. So, when I say money out of politics, I intend fully to get corporate money out politics."
El-Sayed's remarks come as former President Barack Obama is expected to join him on the campaign trail in Michigan later this month as Democrats make their final push ahead of the midterm elections.
El-Sayed also argued in the Fox News interview that Iran’s nuclear threat had been contained before President Donald Trump launched war and insisted that he does not intend to "choke out" billionaires.
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