Jeffrey Soros, nephew of billionaire Democrat mega-donor George Soros, admitted at a Monday night fundraiser that his family’s wealth helped bankroll Abdul El-Sayed’s education. The admission came at a secretive event where attendees were asked not to record the proceedings.
Soros hosted El-Sayed at his home for the fundraiser, which drew attention because El-Sayed has made getting money out of politics a central theme of his campaign. During the event, Soros said he interviewed El-Sayed as a finalist for his parents’ fellowship, the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans, in 2012. El-Sayed won the fellowship that year, and it remains listed among the fellowship’s success stories on its website.
Family Ties to the Campaign
The fellowship provides tens of thousands of dollars in stipend and tuition support to winners. The Soros family’s political machine has poured millions into committees backing El-Sayed’s Senate run.
El-Sayed’s campaign and the Los Angeles Media Fund, where Soros serves as CEO, did not respond to requests for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Tuesday. Attendees were asked not to record the event, per organizers.
The Dark Money Charge
The fundraiser raised significant sums from a single donor. A flyer for the event stated attendees could donate up to $57,800 to the Abdul for Michigan Victory Fund.
That figure has drawn scrutiny from El-Sayed’s opponents. Alyssa Brouillet, communications director for GOP nominee Mike Rogers’ campaign, said the move was the least surprising thing El-Sayed has done all cycle.
“Abdul El-Sayed raising dark Soros money in California after begging Chuck Schumer for money in DC is the least surprising thing he’s done all cycle,” Brouillet said. “That’s what a conman does — says one thing and does another. Michiganders can’t trust this guy.”
El-Sayed’s Response
El-Sayed’s campaign pushed back against the charge. The campaign argued that corporate special interests are spending millions in dark money to buy Rogers a Senate seat because Rogers has spent his career enriching himself and his billionaire donors while Michiganders pay the price.
The campaign also pointed to El-Sayed’s own record on the issue. In a 2025 interview, El-Sayed said, “The fundamental corruption of our politics has been the system that allows corporations and would-be oligarchs and billionaires to buy politicians.” He added during a follow-up interview, “I want to get money out of politics, put money in your pocket, pass Medicare for All.”
The Key Facts
- Donation cap: Attendees could donate up to $57,800 to the Abdul for Michigan Victory Fund.
- Fellowship amount: The Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans provides tens of thousands of dollars in stipend and tuition support.
- Winning year: El-Sayed won the fellowship in 2012.
- Host: Jeffrey Soros, nephew of George Soros, hosted the fundraiser at his home.
- Campaign silence: Neither the El-Sayed campaign nor the Los Angeles Media Fund responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
- GOP response: Alyssa Brouillet called El-Sayed a conman who says one thing and does another.
The fundraiser highlights the broader pattern of El-Sayed’s campaign. His fundraising practices have repeatedly drawn attention, and this latest admission adds to the pile.
Where the paper stands
The paper backs no side in the horse race and judges the matter on its own terms: individual freedom, small business, and no concentrations of power. That means looking past the name-calling and the accusations to ask what actually happened here.
What happened is straightforward. A wealthy man whose family has spent millions on El-Sayed’s Senate bid admitted that his own family’s money helped fund the candidate’s education through a fellowship. The fundraiser itself was secretive, with attendees barred from recording. And the donation cap of $57,800 raises questions about transparency in campaign finance.
The paper’s north star—individual freedom, small business, and no concentrations of power—points toward a campaign finance system that is open and free of hidden money. That is not what El-Sayed has delivered.
Source material: “Soros nephew divulges how family's power helped bankroll El-Sayed's education during secretive fundraiser,” Fox News.
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