Bari Weiss tasks CBS journalists with finding links between El-Sayed and Muslim Brotherhood. Staffers complain her ideas come from social media

The push to link Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed to the Muslim Brotherhood has become a major focus for CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss, Semafor reports. This effort has sparked internal friction as staffers claim the network is chasing theories that often originate from social media influencers or opposition research found in right-leaning outlets.

The interest in El-Sayed stems from a 2012 social media post by his half-sister, Eman Abdelhadi, who mentioned a conversation with their mother about her activism in the Muslim Brotherhood during the early 1970s. While El-Sayed has strenuously denied any ties to the organization, the topic remains a point of contention. El-Sayed has called the attempts to link him to the group insane, noting he was raised by his father and stepmother after his parents divorced when he was 3. He recently told reporters to judge him by his work rather than his faith.

Weiss has taken a direct role in this coverage, tasking the CBS News investigative unit with finding a potential link. While the team is set to publish a story soon, two people familiar with the reporting stated as of Sunday afternoon that it was unclear if the piece would reveal anything new. This follows previous criticism, including a report from The Hollywood Reporter last month, that Weiss oversaw an article that critics say falsely insinuated El-Sayed had ties to the September 11 attacks.

Some CBS News staffers are frustrated by what they see as a double standard

They allege the network pursues thin theories about progressive candidates while failing to treat conservatives with the same scrutiny. One staffer in New York told Semafor that Weiss’ ideas often come from social media or conservative outlets, which they believe leave out important context. This internal tension is not isolated to the Michigan race. Weiss previously directed staff to investigate a theory that Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico was in a mental health facility when he was actually at home with the flu, a fact later confirmed by The New York Times.

The controversy comes during a period where Middle East coverage has emerged as a central point of conflict within the network. Since taking over, Weiss has been deeply involved in shaping stories regarding the conflict in Israel and Gaza. This has led to clashes with staff and reports of friction within the London bureau.

A spokesperson for the network defended their work, stating that CBS News has been delivering impactful reporting on various global issues. The spokesperson added, “Our Middle East reporting and coverage of the midterms has been just as rigorous. We’ll let our journalism — not baseless accusations — speak for itself.”

The intensity surrounding the El-Sayed story reached a boiling point on Sunday. CBS News legal correspondent Jan Crawford posted on X to praise a Republican operative who pressed the candidate to disavow the Muslim Brotherhood at a town hall. Following significant backlash, Crawford removed the post and apologized for violating network standards.

Despite the internal debates, the pursuit of this story is not unique to CBS News. Journalists at NBC News have also pressed El-Sayed on his alleged familial connections.