The Steady Drip

Sen. Sanders, AIPAC Trade Barbs Over Michigan's Senate Race (Connecting the Dots: Sen. Bernie Sanders, AIPAC, The New York Times, CNN, J.B. Pritzker, The Commercial Club of Chicago, The Muslim Brotherhood & The Carnegie/Soros Network)

Newsmax.com

By Jim Thomas | Thursday, 22 October 2026 04:57 PM EDT

https://www.newsmax.com/politics/bernie-sanders-aipac-mike-rogers/2026/10/22/id/1273710/

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee exchanged criticism Thursday over a reported plan by the pro-Israel lobbying group to direct as much as $9 million toward electing Republican Mike Rogers to the U.S. Senate from Michigan.

"AIPAC is now spending as much as $9 million against Abdul El-Sayed. AIPAC is why we're at war in Iran," Sanders wrote in a post on X.

"AIPAC is why the U.S. has supported genocide in Gaza. We must say NO to AIPAC," he continued.

"YES to electing Abdul as Michigan's next U.S. Senator."

El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health director, is the Democrat nominee.

AIPAC responded about 90 minutes later in a post on X.

"AIPAC is why your fantasy football team stinks. AIPAC is why the weather is bad," the organization wrote.

"AIPAC is why you need an app to park. Say NO to Bernie's obsessive scapegoating," it continued.

"YES to an America that works with our ally to create U.S. jobs, keep America safe, and promote democratic values."

The exchange followed a New York Times report Wednesday that AIPAC had begun contributing to the Great Lakes Conservatives Fund, a super PAC supporting Rogers, according to two people familiar with the plans.

Like AIPAC's own super PAC, such groups can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money.

The contributions came after an Oct. 14 deadline that would have required disclosure before Election Day, the Times reported. The Rogers group disclosed a $4.6 million advertising purchase in Michigan on Friday.

The spending represents an unusual move for AIPAC, which has rarely supported a Republican in a competitive general election, the Times reported.

AIPAC spent heavily against El-Sayed in the Democrat primary, which he won over Rep. Haley Stevens. El-Sayed has said he opposes Israel's right to exist as an explicitly Jewish state.

Rogers, a former congressman, initially expressed reservations about AIPAC's involvement but said at an Oct. 8 debate he would "take all of that help."

Several of the super PAC's new advertisements question El-Sayed's loyalty and allege ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist movement, according to the Times. El-Sayed has denied any ties and described the claims as Islamophobic attacks.

At Wednesday's final debate in Detroit, El-Sayed called Rogers "an AIPAC-backed politician," the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported. AIPAC declined to comment on its spending to both the Times and JTA.

The Michigan spending comes as AIPAC changes its political operations.

In a letter to members Wednesday, the group said it will stop endorsing candidates and making direct contributions through its political action committee, the Washington Sun reported.

AIPAC will continue operating United Democracy Project, its super PAC, which the Times said has spent about $85 million on congressional races this election cycle.

Connecting the Dots:
Bernard Sanders was the strategist for the 2016 Bernie Sanders presidential campaign and is the VT congressional delegation senator.

Patrick J. Leahy was a VT congressional delegation senator and Karen Marangi was his counsel.

Karen Marangi was Patrick J. Leahy’s counsel and is a principal for the Raben Group.

Melody C. Barnes was a principal at the Raben Group, the SVP for the Center for American Progress and is Barack Obama’s golf partner.

Carol M. Browner is a director, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and was the energy czar for the Barack Obama administration.

Tom Daschle is a director at the Center for American Progress and was the nominee for health and human services secretary for the Barack Obama administration.

Ezekiel Emanuel is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and was the health care policy adviser for the Barack Obama administration.

Lawrence H. Summers is a distinguished fellow at the Center for American Progress and was the National Economic Council chairman for the Barack Obama administration.

Cassandra Q. Butts was the SVP for the Center for American Progress and the deputy White House counsel for the Barack Obama administration.

Philip J. Crowley was the director of homeland security at the Center for American Progress and the assistant secretary of state for the Barack Obama administration.

Derek Douglas was an associate director of economic policy at the Center for American Progress and a special assistant for urban affairs for the Barack Obama administration.

Bradley J. Kiley was a VP for the Center for American Progress and the director of management and administration for the Barack Obama administration.

Karen Kornbluh was a visiting scholar at the Center for American Progress and a policy director for Barack Obama.

Jeanne Lambrew was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and the deputy assistant to the president for health policy for the Barack Obama administration.

Denis McDonough was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and the chief of staff; former deputy national security adviser for the Barack Obama administration.

Esther M. Olavarria was the director of immigration policy at the Center for American Progress and the deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for the Barack Obama administration.

Dan Restrepo was the Americas Project director at the Center for American Progress and a special assistant to the president for the Barack Obama administration.

Gene B. Sperling was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and the assistant to the president for economic policy for the Barack Obama administration.

Todd Stern was a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and the special envoy for climate change at the U.S. Department of State for the Barack Obama administration.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Center for American Progress and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, was the Chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and a supporter for the Center for American Progress.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

Melody C. Barnes was the EVP for the Center for American Progress, a domestic policy council, director for the Barack Obama administration, Barack Obama’s golf partner and a senior adviser for the Albright Stonebridge Group.

Carol M. Browner is a senior fellow, director for the Center for American Progress, a senior counselor for the Albright Stonebridge Group, was a principal at the Raben Group and an energy czar for the Barack Obama administration.

Albright Stonebridge Group was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

Madeleine K. Albright was a director at the Center for American Progress, a co-chairman for the Albright Stonebridge Group, a member of the Aspen Strategy Group and an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Nicholas Kristof is a member of the Aspen Strategy Group and a columnist for the New York Times.

David E. Sanger is a member of the Aspen Strategy Group and the chief Washington correspondent for the New York Times.

Carla Anne Robbins is a member of the Aspen Strategy Group and was a deputy editorial page editor for the New York Times.

Richard R. Burt was a correspondent for the New York Times and is a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Steven L. Rattner is a director at the New America Foundation and was an economic correspondent for the New York Times.

David B. Brooks is a director at the New America Foundation and a columnist for the New York Times.

Jonathan Soros is a director at the New America Foundation George Soros’s son and was the vice chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the New America Foundation and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the New America Foundation, the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Cyrus F. Freidheim Jr. is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Cameron F. Kerry is a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), John F. Kerry’s brother and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Sidley Austin LLP is the lobby firm for Israel.

R. Eden Martin was counsel at Sidley Austin LLP and is the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

J.B. Pritzker is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, the governor of Illinois and a friend of Lee Rosenberg.

Lee Rosenberg is a friend of J.B. Pritzker and the chairman for the AIPAC.

AIPAC is a U.S.-based lobby group for Israel.

Newton N. Minow was a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, an honorary trustee at the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the president of the Crown Family Foundation.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

James S. Crown is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Lester Crown was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and the VP for the Crown Family Foundation.

Crown Family Foundation was a funder for the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces.

Thomas R. Pickering was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), a U.S. ambassador for Israel and is a distinguished fellow for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank), the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Cyrus F. Freidheim Jr. is an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Saban Center for Middle East Policy is a policy center at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Haim Saban is a benefactor for the Saban Center for Middle East Policy, a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), a friend of Shimon Peres, and a board member for the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces.

Shimon Peres was a friend of Haim Saban and the president of Israel.

Benjamin Netanyahu is the prime minister for Israel.

AIPAC is a U.S.-based lobby group for Israel.

Wendy Senor Singer was the head of Jerusalem office for AIPAC and is Daniel S. Senor’s sister.

Daniel S. Senor is Wendy Senor Singer’s brother, married to Campbell Brown and was a guest on Morning Joe.

Campbell Brown is married to Daniel S. Senor and was a guest on Morning Joe.

Tina Brown is a frequent guest on Morning Joe and the founder of the Daily Beast.

Mika Brzezinski is a co-host for Morning Joe and Zbigniew Brzezinski’s daughter.

Zbigniew Brzezinski is Mika Brzezinski’s father, a member of the Bretton Woods Committee, was a board member for the International Crisis Group and the national security adviser for the Jimmy Carter administration.

George Soros is a member of the Bretton Woods Committee, a board member for the International Crisis Group, and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Millennium Promise and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Jimmy Carter was an honorary co-chairman for the Millennium Promise, the president of the Jimmy Carter administration, and Zbigniew Brzezinski was his national security adviser.

Jeffrey D. Sachs is a director at the Millennium Promise, and a frequent contributor for MSNBC (MS NOW).

Morning Joe is an MSNBC (MS NOW) program.

Alan R. Batkin is a director at the Millennium Promise and a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Steven L. Rattner is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a frequent guest on Morning Joe.

Richard N. Haass was a VP for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and is a frequent guest on Morning Joe.

Saban Center for Middle East Policy is a policy center at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Haim Saban is a benefactor for the Saban Center for Middle East Policy, a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), the treasurer for the Saban Family Foundation, a friend of Shimon Peres, a board member for the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, a friend of Dan Gillerman and married to Cheryl Saban.

Saban Family Foundation was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank), the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces and the American Israel Education Foundation.

American Israel Education Foundation is the charitable arm for AIPAC.

AIPAC is the U.S.-based lobby group for Israel.

Crown Family Foundation was a funder for the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces.

Shimon Peres was a friend of Haim Saban and the president of Israel.

Benjamin Netanyahu is the prime minister for Israel.

Dan Gillerman was the Israeli ambassador for the United Nations and is a friend of Haim Saban.

Cheryl Saban is married to Haim Saban, the president of the Saban Family Foundation, the U.S. rep nominee at the 67th General Assembly session for the United Nations General Assembly and was a major contributor for the 2011 Rahm Emanuel mayoral campaign.

Rahm I. Emanuel was a candidate for the 2011 Rahm Emanuel mayoral campaign, a civilian volunteer for the Israel Defense Forces, the White House chief of staff for the Barack Obama administration, the Chicago (IL) mayor and is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

R. Eden Martin is the president of the Commercial Club of Chicago and was counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

Sidley Austin LLP is the lobby firm for Israel.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and the

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

James S. Crown is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Lester Crown was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), is a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago and the VP for the Crown Family Foundation.

Crown Family Foundation was a funder for the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces.

Thomas R. Pickering was a lifetime trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and a U.S. ambassador for Israel.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank), the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Walter Isaacson is the president & CEO for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and was the chairman & CEO for CNN.

Wolf Blitzer is an anchor for CNN and was a correspondent for the Jerusalem Post.

Saul Singer is an editorial page editor for the Jerusalem Post and married to Wendy Senor Singer.

Wendy Senor Singer is married to Saul Singer, Daniel S. Senor’s sister and was the head of Jerusalem office for AIPAC.

Daniel S. Senor is Wendy Senor Singer’s brother and married to Campbell Brown.

Campbell Brown is married to Daniel S. Senor, was an anchor for Campbell Brown: No Bias. No Bull and an anchor for CNN.

Walter Isaacson was the chairman & CEO for CNN and is the president & CEO for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Ted Turner was a co-chairman for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and the founder of CNN.

Wolf Blitzer is an anchor for CNN and was a correspondent for the Jerusalem Post.

Wendy Senor Singer was the head of Jerusalem office for AIPAC and is Daniel S. Senor’s sister.

Daniel S. Senor is Wendy Senor Singer’s brother, married to Campbell Brown and was a guest on Morning Joe.

Morning Joe is a MSNBC (MS NOW) program.

Harold E. Ford Jr. was a political commentator for MSNBC (MS NOW) and an overseer at the International Rescue Committee.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Andrew Carnegie was the founder of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Carnegie Corporation of New York was a funder for Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.

Richard N. Haass was a senior associate for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), a VP for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and is a frequent guest on Morning Joe.

Morning Joe is a MSNBC (MS NOW) program.

Daniel S. Senor was a guest on Morning Joe, is Wendy Senor Singer’s brother and married to Campbell Brown.

Wendy Senor Singer is Daniel S. Senor’s sister and was the head of Jerusalem office for AIPAC.