Mike Rogers, a Michigan Republican US Senate candidate, has sought in recent weeks to create controversy over old tweets his Democratic opponent, Abdul El-Sayed posted about 9/11. He has for example, falsely suggested El-Sayed, who is Muslim, said the US deserved the attack. But, as critics have noted, Rogers has twice voted against healthcare and other benefits for 9/11 first responders and survivors, congressional records show.
He has also helped kill other bills that would have provided benefits and healthcare to first responders nationwide. Rogers, a former member of Congress, is vying for Michigan’s open US Senate seat in a tight race that could decide control of Congress during the next session. Rogers was among Republicans who voted against the 2010 James Zadroga Act to fund healthcare for 9/11 first responders and survivors, which was used in part to treat and monitor 40,000 people who worked in toxic conditions in the attack’s aftermath.
The bills’ funding also helped treat responders for more than 50 types of cancer linked to exposures at Ground Zero. In committee, Rogers argued it “jeopardizes the financial health of the United States”. Rogers was joined by 156 other Republicans who voted against it, largely over its $5.1bn price tag, but 17 GOP members broke from the party and supported it.
The final package passed the House over Rogers’ vote. That drew sharp criticism this week from John Feal, a 9/11 first responder who has advocated and lobbied for legislation supporting benefit programs, and who spent 11 weeks in the hospital after a steel beam fell on his foot at ground zero. Part of his foot was amputated.
Feal told the Guardian he personally discussed the Zadroga legislation with Rogers on Congress’s floor during committee debate in which Feal testified. Feal said Rogers told him first responders’ health issues were a “New York problem” and asked: “Where is the money to help them going to come from?” He called Rogers’ opposition to 9/11 first responder benefits “a betrayal”. They say: ‘You’re a hero.
You’re a drain on the municipality and the federal government. Get out of here.’” In response to the Guardian, the Rogers campaign said: “Any attempt to distract from Abdul making Hasan [Piker] the centerpiece of his campaign is incredibly disrespectful to the thousands of Americans who lost their lives that day.” Alyssa Brouillet, a spokesperson for the Rogers campaign, pointed to a 2019 comment the popular Twitch streamer made in which he said “America deserved 9/11”. (Piker has since apologized and walked back the comments soon after, stating that they were a poor attempt at satire. El-Sayed called the comments “dumb” and disavowed them. ) The revelation comes after Rogers sent an email to supporters criticizing El-Sayed over his 9/11 comments, and appeared to lie about seeing Osama bin Laden’s body.
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