In the heated Michigan U.S. Senate race, Republican ads have accused Democratic candidate Abdul El‑Sayed of wanting to “abolish prisons” and release violent criminals. The ads cite a 30‑second television spot paid for by the Senate Leadership Fund and statements on GOP candidate Mike Rogers’ campaign website.
What El‑Sayed Actually Said
El‑Sayed, a former Wayne County public‑health official, has advocated for criminal‑justice reform, but he has never called for a blanket abolition of prisons. During his 2018 gubernatorial campaign, he outlined a plan to review roughly 4,000 prisoners sentenced before age 18 (as of March 2013) and to consider commuting sentences for those deemed low‑risk, with credit for time already served. Any releases would have required parole‑board and prison‑staff approval.
He also proposed setting a minimum juvenile sentence of 10 years and a maximum of 25 years, changes that would have required legislative action. If enacted, these reforms could have shortened the sentence of Marc Osborn, convicted as a juvenile in 1999, but only under the low‑risk criteria.
2020 Pandemic Panel Context
In August 2020, El‑Sayed joined a virtual panel titled “I Don’t Want to Die in Prison,” discussing the public‑health risks of COVID‑19 in correctional facilities. The panel included a man convicted of criminal sexual conduct and a woman convicted of second‑degree murder, both sentenced as juveniles and later released. El‑Sayed agreed that elderly and infirm inmates should be considered for release during a pandemic and emphasized that decarceration is “really, really critical” for public health.
He did not advocate releasing murderers or rapists indiscriminately. His comments focused on humane responses to a health crisis, not on eliminating prisons.
Republican Campaign Claims
Mike Rogers’ website asserts that El‑Sayed “supports abolishing prisons and releasing violent criminals onto the streets,” and the Senate Leadership Fund ad suggests El‑Sayed wants 4,000 inmates, like Marc Osborn, to “walk free.” The ad also references Osborn’s 1999 conviction for the rape and murder of 18‑year‑old Jessica Ledford and notes his 2025 resentencing to 40‑60 years, making him eligible for release in 2039.
These claims omit the crucial context that El‑Sayed’s proposal targeted only low‑risk juvenile offenders and required extensive review by state officials.
Responses from Campaigns
El‑Sayed’s spokesperson, Cole Wozniak, called the accusations “laughable,” stating that El‑Sayed has never called for a blanket release of prisoners and is committed to funding law‑enforcement to protect communities.
Rogers’ campaign spokesperson, Alyssa Brouillet, countered that “someone who wants to release murderers and rapists onto our streets shouldn’t come within a mile’s radius of the U.S. Senate.”
Bottom Line
While El‑Sayed supports reforms aimed at reducing prison populations and improving public‑health safety, he has not advocated for abolishing prisons or indiscriminately freeing violent offenders. The Republican ads and statements selectively quote his past remarks, leaving out the safeguards and limited scope of his proposals.
Original reporting: BridgeDetroit — read the source article.
