Abdul El-Sayed, the Democrats Senate hopeful in Michigan who rails against corporate abuse and big money in politics, spent part of this month smiling for the cameras at a lavish fundraiser hosted by a 7-Eleven franchise boss accused by federal authorities of cheating his own workers.
According to the Washington Free Beacon, Ali Haider, president of the Michigan Franchise Owners Association of 7-Eleven, splashed photos and videos across social media showing himself greeting El-Sayed outside the upscale Detroit-area venue and embracing the candidate before ushering him into the mansion. Inside the $3 million estatecomplete with marble floors, chandeliers, and a sweeping spiral staircaseHaider is seen proudly introducing El-Sayed to well-heeled attendees, underscoring the disconnect between the Democrats populist rhetoric and his donor class allies.
The event was held at the home of hotel magnate Asad Malik, a prominent official with PAKPAC, the countrys largest Pakistani-American political action committee and a major player in Democratic fundraising circles. Malik was sued last year by a former hotel employee who accused him of sexual assault after a Justin Timberlake concert, allegations he vehemently denied before a judge dismissed the case in his favor.
On the campaign trail, El-Sayed has tried to brand himself as a crusader against special interests, telling voters his mantra is "Money out of politics, money in your pocket, and Medicare for all." He has vowed to bring "dignified, well-paying jobs to Michigan" and demanded that companies be made "accountable to their workers," positioning himself as a champion of labor against corporate exploitation.
Haiders record tells a different story about the kind of accountability El-Sayed is willing to overlook when campaign cash is on the line. The Department of Labor found that Haider shorted more than a dozen employees at his four western Michigan 7-Eleven stores out of legally required overtime pay, a textbook case of wage theft that undercuts Democratic talking points about protecting workers.
Acting labor secretary Julie Su filed suit against Haider and his company in September 2023, accusing him of systematically cheating 13 employees out of overtime wages. The complaint alleged that Haider paid workers off the books in cash to dodge taxes and "instructed employees to not clock into the timekeeping system even though they were actually working," a scheme that would be familiar to any small-business owner forced to compete with bad actors gaming the system.
Haider settled with the agency in 2024, agreeing to pay $36,528 in back wages and to improve his record-keeping practices going forward. "This case's quick resolution puts hard-earned wages and damages into the pockets of 13 workers and sends a strong message to business owners that the Department of Labor will not tolerate wage theft and attempts to mask violations of federal wage laws," a Department of Labor official said after the settlement, a statement that now hangs awkwardly over El-Sayeds decision to appear at Haiders side.
Nor can El-Sayed plausibly claim ignorance about his hosts background, given that local media covered the lawsuit when it was filed and a simple Google search of Haiders name brings up the case among the top results. Yet Haider, who also serves as general secretary of the Pakistani Association of Michigan, has already funneled $1,900 into El-Sayeds campaign through July 31, with no public accounting of how much more was collected at the mansion fundraiser.
Malik and PAKPAC have also been busy organizing for the Democrat, recently hosting a "Muslims for Abdul" event that, according to one attendee, pulled in a hefty $252,000 for El-Sayeds Senate bid. For a candidate who insists he wants "money out of politics," his growing reliance on high-dollar, identity-based fundraising networks raises obvious questions about whose interests he will serve if elected.
Haider and the El-Sayed campaign did not respond to requests for comment, leaving voters to reconcile the Democrats soaring promises about worker dignity and corporate accountability with the donors he chooses to court. As President Trumps second administration continues to emphasize law, order, and fair play for workers and small businesses alike, Michigan voters now face a stark contrast between conservative calls for genuine accountability and a Democratic candidate whose alliances appear to contradict his own campaign slogans.
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