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Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who is campaigning on getting “money out of politics”, will attend a fundraiser at the West Hollywood home of billionaire George Soros’ nephew.
Jeffrey Soros, a California film producer, and his wife, Catharine Soros, will host a meet-and-greet alongside former Obama advisors and Pod Save America hosts Jon Favreau, Tom Vietor and Ben Rhodes, as well as other Hollywood figures, on Sept. 28, 2025, according to a flyer obtained by Punchbowl News. The flyer noted that each guest can donate up to $57,800 to the Abdul for Michigan Victory Fund.
The out-of-state big money fundraiser comes as El-Sayed has repeatedly criticized the influence of corporations and billionaires in politics. At a previous campaign event, El-Sayed said billionaires couldn’t tell him what else they could actually buy beyond $100 million other than political power.
The event will put El-Sayed alongside relatives of billionaire George Soros, who has for decades used his wealth to support political causes and campaigns, including prosecutors who have advocated for bail reform and eliminating mandatory minimum prison sentences.
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Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, speaks at the Michigan Democratic Nominating Convention in Lansing, Mich., on Aug. 29, 2026. (Anadolu via Getty Images)
Open Society Foundations, the philanthropy founded by George Soros, gave the American Civil Liberties Union a $50 million grant for a nationwide criminal justice reform campaign and a $3 million grant to the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law to fund anti-gerrymandering lawsuits and litigation against states with “restrictive” voting laws.
It is unclear whether George Soros will attend El-Sayed’s fundraiser. Digital reached out to Open Society Foundations for comment.
Jeffrey Soros is the son of Paul and Daisy Soros, who were philanthropists. Paul Soros was George Soros’ older brother. The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans supports immigrants and children of immigrants pursuing graduate education in the United States.
Jeffrey Soros is CEO of Los Angeles Media Fund and is an executive producer of “The Space Between Us.” Digital reached out to Los Angeles Media Fund for comment.
The flyer also listed television showrunners Ed Redlich and Sarah Timberman, venture capitalist Tom Unterman and Ahmos Hassan, founder and CEO of Chariot Entertainment.
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George Soros pictured on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in January 2020. (Simon Dawson/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The gathering also comes as El-Sayed has criticized Republican candidate Mike Rogers for attending the GOP Midterm Convention in Dallas last week but failing to appear for a televised debate.
“Now, in case you’re wondering, there is no Dallas, Michigan”, El-Sayed told Michigan State University students at a rally titled “Students v. Billionaires” held last week. “He was in Dallas, Texas. Why was he in Dallas, Texas? Given that he’s running for Senate in Michigan.”
El-Sayed also waved off criticism of his affiliation with Hasan Piker, who he said is a “streamer in California” who has nothing to do with Michigan politics, despite Piker joining El-Sayed for a poolside campaign event last month.
In the past, Piker has made disparaging remarks about America and Jewish people and has expressed support for Hamas. He once called Orthodox Jewish people “inbreds,” said America deserved the 9/11 terrorist attacks and said Hamas was “1000 times better” than the Israeli government. El-Sayed distanced himself from Piker, who campaigned with him during the Democratic primary, weeks ago after facing criticism over his affiliation with the left-wing Twitch streamer.
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 30: Jeffrey Soros attends MOCA Gala 2026 at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA on May 30, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Emma McIntyre / Getty Images)
“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,” Alyssa Brouillet, communications director for Rogers’ campaign, said in a statement to Digital. “That’s what a conman does — says one thing and does another. Michiganders can’t trust this guy.”
El-Sayed was in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday meeting with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and other senators, including Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.
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In response to questions about the fundraiser at Jeffrey Soros’ home, El-Sayed’s campaign pointed to Rogers’ own campaign contributions.
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“Mike Rogers has taken over a million dollars from Big Pharma and spent years in Congress as a self-proclaimed ‘champion’ of drug companies, voting to keep prescription drug costs high,” a campaign spokesperson said in a statement. “Corporate special interests are spending millions of dollars in dark money to try to buy Rogers a Senate seat because he’s spent his entire career making himself and his billionaire donors richer while Michiganders pay the price.”
“Abdul is the only candidate in this race running to get money out of politics and will fight to end Citizens United to ensure that our democracy is working for people, not billionaires,” the campaign spokesperson continued.
El-Sayed is not the only Democrat courting wealthy Hollywood elites.
“Lost” co-creator Damon Lindelof and his wife, Heidi, hosted a fundraiser for Democratic Texas U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico on Sept. 10, 2025 in the upscale Hollywood neighborhood of Brentwood.
