Michigan Democratic Senate front-runner Abdul El-Sayed has faced criticism for previous comments he made about defunding the police. In recent interviews, El-Sayed has insisted he never called for defunding the police, but interviews from 2020 show him repeatedly endorsing the movement.

El-Sayed’s Past Comments

El-Sayed said in a 2020 radio interview, ‘We do need to defund the police,’ while discussing how the slogan could undermine criminal justice reform efforts. He also tweeted in support of the movement, saying ‘Most major US cities spend WAY TOO MUCH on police departments to police poverty & WAY TOO LITTLE on public schools, health departments, recreation departments, & housing to eliminate poverty. Fixing that is what the #Defund movement is about.’

El-Sayed’s campaign has since tried to distance him from the movement, with a spokesperson saying his perspective has become more nuanced. However, the deleted tweets and past interviews show El-Sayed repeatedly endorsed the substance of the defund movement, even when he framed it as ‘refunding’ other public services.

Implications for the Election

El-Sayed’s past comments on defunding the police could have implications for the upcoming election. He will face US Rep. Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary, and the winner is expected to face Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers in November. Michigan Republicans are likely to scrutinize Democrats’ past positions on crime and policing.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.