Dark-money group mislabels Senate hopeful as veteran, blames typo

A dark-money organization backing Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed incorrectly labeled him a veteran in a Michigan Independent story, even though he has never served in the armed forces nor holds a medical license. The erroneous headline read "El-Sayed — veteran, doctor, and former health official — is Democratic Senate pick." The group later blamed the mistake on a misplaced comma introduced during the creation of a print edition headline.

Joe Conason, who leads the American Independent Foundation, clarified that the intended phrasing was "veteran doctor and public health official," with "veteran" modifying the latter two titles. The incident underscores how funding networks linked to the American Independent can shape candidate narratives. The episode raises questions about accuracy in political communications funded by undisclosed donors.