A network of state-based newspapers funded in part by George Soros published a headline labeling Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed a "veteran", a claim his own campaign says is flatly untrue.
The Michigan Independent, a print publication distributed across the state, ran a headline in its August 2026 edition describing El-Sayed as a "veteran, doctor, and former health official." The body of the article itself never mentioned El-Sayed serving in the military. His campaign spokesman, Cole Wozniak, told Fox News Digital that the label was wrong and should never have appeared in print.
Photos of the headline circulated on social media in late August. Fox News Digital obtained a physical copy of the paper in Michigan, confirming the printed headline read: "[El-Sayed], veteran, doctor, and former health official, is Democratic Senate pick."
Wozniak pushed back firmly:
"Abdul has never claimed to be a veteran, he never would out of his respect for those who served, and any outlet or group writing about our campaign should do their homework and not allow this to happen again."
The American Independent, the organization behind the paper, did not return Fox News Digital's request for comment. No one has explained who wrote or approved the false headline, whether it was the reporter, Alyssa Burr, or an editor above her.
The Michigan Independent is not an independent local paper. Its front cover lists The American Independent Foundation, a tax-exempt nonprofit headquartered at 800 Maine Ave SW in Washington, D.C. The foundation holds 501(c)(3) status, meaning it operates under a tax exemption reserved for educational and charitable organizations.
IRS 990 disclosure records show that George Soros's Foundation to Promote Open Society granted $500,000 to The American Independent Foundation in 2024. The Washington Free Beacon first reported the Soros funding connection. Soros is one of the most prolific donors to progressive and Democratic causes in the country.
A separate arm of the network, American Independent Media, is organized as a 501(c)(4), a designation that allows direct political activism. Each of the network's state-based websites identifies itself as a project of American Independent Media, which states its mission is "to use journalism to educate the public, giving them the information they need about local and federal issues."
AB Foundation, the 501(c)(4) arm of American Bridge, a group founded by Democratic operative David Brock, donated $23.5 million to American Independent Media in 2024. Brock also founded Media Matters. The scale of funding from organizations tied to Brock and Soros raises a straightforward question: how independent is a paper bankrolled by Washington-based political operations?
El-Sayed, who defeated the establishment-backed candidate in the Democratic primary, now carries the party's banner in one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country. The false "veteran" headline lands in that context, a contested race where voter impressions matter.
The Michigan Independent is not alone. Fox News Digital reported that at least twelve other state-based newspapers operate under the same network. The Ohio Independent and The Pennsylvania Independent, for example, both featured an identical story at the time of reporting: "Report: Trump and Big Oil see financial windfall as Americans pay more at pump." Papers in Wisconsin, Virginia, Maine, and Alaska are also part of the group.
All of them trace back to the same Washington, D.C., address. All of them carry the branding of organizations funded by Soros and Brock. And all of them present themselves to readers as local journalism.
The breadth of The Michigan Independent's print circulation remains unclear. Fox News Digital noted that the full reach of the paper's distribution has not been established.
El-Sayed's campaign has faced a string of controversies beyond this episode. His swipe at Usha Vance drew sharp backlash from Indian-American voters and women, adding to the turbulence around his candidacy.
The headline also called El-Sayed a "doctor." He does hold a medical degree. But Fox News Digital noted that El-Sayed has never practiced as a physician, a distinction the Michigan Independent article did not clarify. Combined with the fabricated "veteran" label, the headline painted a portrait of the candidate that did not match the public record.
Burr, the reporter whose byline appeared on the piece, previously worked at MLive Media Group, which publishes the prominent Michigan news outlet Michigan Live, and at the New York Times. Her LinkedIn page lists her title as Michigan Politics Reporter at The American Independent. Whether she wrote the headline or whether it was added by someone else in the editorial chain remains unanswered.
The episode is not the only time El-Sayed's campaign has had to manage fallout from outside actors and his own missteps. He previously deleted a 9/11 post under pressure from party leaders who demanded he distance himself from controversial online figures.
Even members of his own party have questioned whether El-Sayed's candidacy helps or hurts Democrats in Michigan. Sen. John Fetterman publicly warned that El-Sayed's bid could hand Republicans a critical seat, reflecting intra-party anxiety about the direction of the race.
As of Fox News Digital's reporting, no correction had been issued. No one from The American Independent Foundation or American Independent Media had offered an explanation. The organization simply did not respond.
That silence is telling. A paper funded by half a million dollars from Soros and $23.5 million from a Brock-connected group published a false claim about a candidate in a high-profile Senate race, and no one involved has stepped forward to account for it. The campaign itself had to clean up the mess, insisting El-Sayed never claimed to be a veteran and never would.
El-Sayed's broader pattern of bipartisan backlash over his online conduct only sharpens the picture: a candidate already under scrutiny, now boosted by a Washington-funded paper that could not even get his biography right.
When your allies have to fabricate your résumé, the real one probably was not strong enough to begin with.
