On Wednesday, August 5, 2026, every Democratic member of a Senate Judiciary subcommittee boycotted a hearing focused on the Muslim Brotherhood’s alleged network inside the United States. The absence of Democrats was highlighted by Senator Ted Cruz, who opened the hearing by noting the empty chairs on the Democrat side of the dais and called the boycott "an embarrassment."

Cruz linked the Democrats’ absence to the recent primary victory of Abdul El-Sayed, a candidate who campaigned alongside left-wing streamer Hasan Piker. Cruz cited Piker’s past controversial statement that "America deserved 9/11" and questioned witnesses on what El-Sayed’s rise indicated about the direction of the Democratic Party.

In response, Democratic representatives described the hearing as "a political creepshow" and rejected what they called scapegoating of Muslims, particularly in light of recent violence targeting places of faith. They characterized such tactics as a Texas Republican strategist’s attempt to rally voters.

Lara Burns, a retired FBI special agent involved in a terrorism-financing investigation against the Holy Land Foundation, once the largest Muslim charity in the U.S., testified at the hearing. Burns warned Americans not to disregard evidence simply because it is politically controversial, stating that narratives portraying terrorist organizations as resistance movements have been intentionally seeded into public discourse for decades.

The hearing and the boycott have intensified partisan tensions over how terrorism-related issues and Muslim communities are addressed in U.S. politics.

Notable Quotes

  • "You may notice that there are empty chairs on the Democrat side of the dais," said Senator Cruz.
  • "The American people should ask themselves why not a single member of the minority decided that a hearing on terrorism was worth their time? It is an embarrassment."
  • Cruz asked witnesses what El-Sayed’s rise said about the direction of the Democratic Party, referencing Hasan Piker’s controversial remarks.
  • Democrats said, "Scapegoating Muslims may be a Texas Republican strategist’s idea of ‘solid gold’ to whip up their voters, but Democrats have no intention of indulging this political creepshow, particularly after the recent violence targeting places of faith."
  • Lara Burns testified, "For decades, narratives have been intentionally seeded into public discourse that portray terrorist organizations as resistance movements," and argued Americans cannot "ignore evidence introduced in federal court simply because that evidence is politically uncomfortable."