Cruz Warns of American Deaths If El-Sayed Joins Senate Intelligence Panel

Sen. Ted Cruz said Wednesday that electing Abdul El-Sayed to the Senate could put American lives at risk by giving him access to classified intelligence. Cruz, R-Texas, spoke while campaigning in Michigan for former Rep. Mike Rogers, who is backed by President Donald Trump and is running against El-Sayed in the state's U.S. Senate contest.

Cruz argued that if El-Sayed wins, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer could place him on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which reviews highly classified material. "The Senate Intelligence Committee has access to our most closely-guarded secrets," Cruz said. He added that if El-Sayed is a supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood, "there is a very real risk that Americans will die as a result."

Cruz said American service members are currently fighting Muslim Brotherhood-linked militants and that covert operatives work to uncover plots before attacks occur. He claimed El-Sayed could relay details of pending operations to those being targeted: "We have every reason to believe that Abdul El-Sayed, if he found out, 'OK, they're about to apprehend these terrorists,' that he would let those terrorists know."

El-Sayed rejected the characterization. Speaking with Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier last week, he said he has "never been" and "never will be a member of the Muslim Brotherhood." El-Sayed added that he wants to serve the United States and take the oath to the Constitution that every senator takes. The El-Sayed and Rogers campaigns did not immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday.