Republican Mike Rogers, a candidate for the Michigan Senate, is under fire for his past votes on legislation affecting healthcare and benefits for 9/11 first responders, while he criticizes his Democratic opponent, Abdul El-Sayed, over previous remarks related to the September 11 attacks. Rogers has pointed to old social media posts by El-Sayed to imply sympathy for the attacks, a claim that has been contested by critics.
Rogers’ voting record shows he opposed the 2010 James Zadroga Act, a critical piece of legislation that provided healthcare and monitoring for first responders and survivors exposed to hazardous conditions at Ground Zero. Rogers, during the debate, argued that the bill posed a financial risk to the nation. Despite his and many Republicans’ opposition, the bill passed in the House. Furthermore, in 2002, Rogers voted against additional funding for veterans’ healthcare and first responders in a bill addressing the financial repercussions of 9/11 on New York schools. In subsequent years, he continued to oppose various proposals that would fund, pension, and provide other benefits for first responders.
John Feal, a 9/11 responder and advocate for their healthcare benefits, has condemned Rogers’ voting history, calling his opposition a betrayal. Feal recounted having personal discussions with Rogers about the Zadroga legislation while it was under consideration in Congress.
Rogers is also facing criticism for a campaign email claim that he had seen Osama bin Laden’s body following the U.S. raid that killed him in Pakistan. In reality, Rogers was neither present in Pakistan during the operation nor in the White House Situation Room where top U.S. officials were monitoring the raid.
This series of controversies emerges as Rogers and El-Sayed vie in a high-stakes race for Michigan’s open Senate seat, a contest that could influence which party controls Congress.