El-Sayed Picks Former Harris Aide Who Once Blamed Zionists for Controlling U.S. Politics

Clear Facts

• Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed named Brenda Abdelall, a former Biden official and Harris campaign aide, to direct his Senate transition team.
• In 2002 Abdelall stated that Zionists were “controlling a lot” of American politics during remarks at an American Muslim Council event.
• El-Sayed has repeatedly criticized Israel’s Gaza campaign and campaigned alongside activists who have praised Hamas and Hezbollah.

Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed has chosen a former Biden administration official to lead his Senate transition team. Brenda Abdelall, an Egyptian-American attorney and professor, previously served as Assistant Secretary for Partnership and Engagement at the Department of Homeland Security.

Abdelall also worked as Arab-American outreach director for Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign. Her 2002 comments resurfaced during that campaign and drew renewed attention after her latest appointment.

“The Zionists have a strong voice in American politics,” Abdelall told The New York Sun at an American Muslim Council convention in 2002. “I would say they’re controlling a lot of it.”

Those remarks were made after pro-Israel groups helped defeat Rep. Earl Hilliard in an Alabama Democratic primary. Hilliard had opposed a congressional resolution condemning Palestinian terrorist attacks against Israel.

A Harris campaign spokesperson claimed the comments no longer reflected Abdelall’s views. “Those 2002 comments do not reflect Brenda’s views or the views of the campaign,” the spokesperson said.

Abdelall helped implement the Biden administration’s first National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism and organized the White House “United We Stand” summit.

El-Sayed’s victory over Republican Mike Rogers has placed him in the national spotlight. His decision to elevate Abdelall raises questions about the direction of his foreign-policy priorities.

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