Did a conservative group offer College Republicans $200 each to disrupt Abdul El-Sayed's Flint town hall, as group chat messages suggest?
A College Republicans group chat message says America Next offered members $200 each to disrupt Abdul El-Sayed's Flint town hall. The group says it did not coordinate, America Next did not respond, and as of October 4, 2026, no report shows anyone was paid.
Claim in dispute
Iman Dashti wrote in the University of Michigan College Republicans' GroupMe chat on October 1, 2026 that America Next reached out to him to set up attendance at Abdul El-Sayed's Flint town hall, offered everyone who came $100 to show out against El-Sayed, and agreed to $200 after he asked.
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
This case asks whether the conservative group America Next offered University of Michigan College Republicans members $200 each to attend and disrupt Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed's October 3, 2026 town hall in Flint, Michigan, as student Iman Dashti's October 1 GroupMe messages say. That proposition is the reference point for every label here. Condemned means the speaker asserted or endorsed it, which on this page is an attributed accusation and not a finding. Denied means the speaker flatly rejected it. Challenged the characterization means the speaker accepted that the messages exist but disputed what they show or who is responsible. Mixed or conditional means the position depended on a stated condition. Four questions stay separate: whether the messages are genuine, whether America Next made the offer, whether anyone was paid, and whether the Republican Party, the Rogers campaign or any official was involved. The case does not decide any of them, and it does not decide whether paid heckling or the offer would be lawful or improper. Everything below is as of October 4, 2026, and the story is still developing.
What the messages say. At 8:42 p.m. on October 1 (the Daily gives no time zone; we assume Eastern), Dashti, an engineering student, posted in the College Republicans' main GroupMe chat that El-Sayed was holding a town hall in Flint on Saturday at 11 a.m. and that he needed "every single one of you to come." He wrote that he had asked El-Sayed "a tough question" at the previous town hall, that the group would "coordinate questions to ask him and spread out," and that "We're gonna boo him." He wrote that "The organization America Next reached out to me to set this up. They offered everyone who comes to show out against Abdul $100. I told them make it $200. AND THEY DID." He added that two people could make "$400" in "literally 2.5 hours." The Michigan Daily (opens in a new tab) reported the messages on the evening of October 2, U.S. Eastern time, and quoted parts of the message, but not the America Next sentences, which appear in screenshots posted on X (opens in a new tab). The message also says that conservative influencer Savannah Craven would attend and interview those who came. We found no statement from her.
Whether the messages are genuine. HuffPost reports that the College Republicans confirmed the messages in their chat are genuine. The text of the 8:42 p.m. message matches the lines the Daily quoted. The screenshot shows the message marked "(edited)," and we could not determine what was edited or when. The screenshot banner reads "Only owners and admins can post," and HuffPost (opens in a new tab) reports that the group changed the chat's settings so that only administrators can send new messages. As of October 4, 2026 we found no public statement from Dashti confirming or disputing the messages, the offer or any payment. His posts on X from the Flint event and about a Rogers campaign ad do not address them.
Who America Next is. The Michigan Daily and HuffPost describe America Next as a conservative political action committee, and HuffPost adds that it is affiliated with former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal. Federal records list it differently. The FEC (opens in a new tab) lists America Next Inc, of Baton Rouge, as an independent expenditure filer and not a committee, and IRS data (opens in a new tab) classify it as a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization. The Center for Public Integrity (opens in a new tab) reported in 2015 that Jindal and allies formed it in 2013. In an FEC filing (opens in a new tab) made October 1, 2026, America Next Inc reported a $250,000 independent expenditure to Breakthrough LLC, with a September 29 distribution date and the purpose "canvassing and influencer marketing," that opposes El-Sayed. The filing does not mention students, the College Republicans, the Flint event or a $200 payment, and it does not say what the canvassing and influencer marketing involved. The Michigan Daily says America Next did not respond to its requests for comment, and HuffPost says it did not return a request for comment. We found no public statement from America Next about the messages.
The Flint town hall. El-Sayed held the town hall at a church in Flint on October 3. Dashti posted a video that day of an El-Sayed staffer who, HuffPost (opens in a new tab) reports, refused to let him enter. Near the end of the event a man in a camouflage hoodie shouted a question about taking money from the Soros family and was escorted out as the crowd jeered. HuffPost wrote that the boos were aimed at the heckler and not at El-Sayed. As the heckler left, El-Sayed said, "In a University of Michigan Republican group chat, they pay them $200 to do exactly that," and also said, "They'll pay $200 for someone to waste his money, show up and heckle me." HuffPost reports that El-Sayed suggested the heckler could be a paid protester and that it is unclear whether the heckler was there to get paid. We could not locate video of El-Sayed's remarks. We found no report that identifies the heckler, says he was paid or includes a statement from him.
The reactions on the record. El-Sayed campaign spokesperson Cole Wozniak wrote to the Daily, "Mike Rogers has to pay $200 per person to get people to show up at an event? Yikes. Hundreds of Michiganders show up to every single Abdul town hall for free." His question names Rogers, not America Next, and the Daily wrote that it could find no evidence that Rogers' campaign had any direct involvement. The College Republicans told HuffPost that "Anything that a particular member may have advertised in our group chat does not reflect the values of our organization as a whole" and that they "did not in any manner coordinate" with Dashti. In a reply on X (opens in a new tab) on October 3 to a post doubting that Dashti was unpaid for his September 23 question, the organization wrote that it "did not orchestrate any of that, nor did the Rogers campaign" and that "That opportunity was presented to Iman following that viral moment." The reply does not say what the opportunity was. HuffPost reports that a Rogers campaign spokesperson did not immediately respond to its request for comment. As of October 4, 2026 we found no public statement about the messages from the Rogers campaign, the Michigan Republican Party or the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
Dashti and the Rogers campaign. On October 2, the morning after the messages, the Rogers campaign posted an ad (opens in a new tab) in which Dashti says El-Sayed "can never, ever be a U.S. Senator." Dashti wrote on X (opens in a new tab) that what he called El-Sayed's non-answer "created a viral moment that led to me officially meeting the Rogers campaign." In an article published September 30, Iran International (opens in a new tab) reported him saying that he does not work for the Rogers campaign. The ad, his posts and those reports do not mention the October 1 messages, and no report we found says the Rogers campaign knew of or took part in the offer.
The viral post. On the evening of October 3, an account called @GOP__Ls (opens in a new tab) posted a screenshot of the message with the text "LEAKED CHAT shows Republicans offering $200 per person to disrupt an Abdul El-Sayed event." It had more than 400,000 views by October 4. The reporting does not describe an offer from Republicans in general. It attributes the messages to a College Republicans member who names America Next, and the College Republicans are a student organization, not the Republican Party. MEAWW (opens in a new tab) rated the claim that Republicans offered $200 per person unconfirmed, saying the reports do not establish a direct connection to the GOP.
Background on September 23. At the "Students vs. Billionaires" town hall at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor, Dashti asked El-Sayed whether he stood "unequivocally against the IRGC," and El-Sayed answered that he would "always stand with movements for freedom and democracy" while opposing U.S.-led regime change, according to Fox News (opens in a new tab). Conservative outlets covered the exchange widely, and Dashti's October 1 message calls it the "tough question" that "generated a VERY negative news cycle."
What this record does not establish. As of October 4, 2026, the only account of the offer in the reporting we found is Dashti's own message, the Daily's and HuffPost's descriptions of the offer rest on it, and America Next has not confirmed or denied it. No report shows that anyone was paid, including the heckler removed in Flint. No source we found shows that the Republican Party or any official took part. The Michigan Daily writes that the actions described would not be illegal. This case does not assess their legality or whether any campaign or committee acted improperly.
People in this case
Abdul El-SayedDirectly involved
Timeline
11 timeline entries on this page. Dates: September 23, 2026 to October 3, 2026
September 2026
2 events
Iman Dashti questions El-Sayed about Iran at a University of Michigan town hall
Incident
At the "Students vs. Billionaires" town hall at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor, student Iman Dashti asked Abdul El-Sayed whether he stood "unequivocally against the IRGC" and the Islamic Republic of Iran. El-Sayed answered that he would "always stand with movements for freedom and democracy" while opposing U.S.-led regime change, according to Fox News. The exchange spread online and drew critical coverage from conservative outlets, according to The Michigan Daily. Dashti's October 1 message later calls it the "tough question" that "generated a VERY negative news cycle."
[01]Michigan student confronts El-Sayed over Iran stance in tense exchange: 'Do you stand with us?'
Source excerpt
Dashti asked El-Sayed whether he regretted that silence, whether he would renounce people who held vigils supporting Khamenei and whether he stood "unequivocally against the IRGC" and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Fox News's report of the evening of September 23, 2026 (U.S. Eastern time) on Dashti's question to El-Sayed at the "Students vs. Billionaires" town hall at the University of Michigan, with El-Sayed's answer. It is background on the September 23 exchange that Dashti refers to in his October 1 message.
Michigan student confronts El-Sayed over Iran stance in tense exchange: 'Do you stand with us?' · Fox NewsParagraph beginning "Dashti asked El-Sayed whether he regretted that silence"[02]Conservative PAC offering College Republicans $200 to heckle at Abdul El-Sayed rally, group chat messages seem to show
Source excerpt
Engineering senior Iman Dashti made the offer in the U-M College Republicans’ GroupMe general chat Oct. 1 at 8:42 p.m., claiming to be working on behalf of America Next
The Michigan Daily's report on the October 1 GroupMe messages. It quotes parts of Iman Dashti's message, including the invitation to the Flint town hall, the plan to "coordinate questions" and "boo him," and the line about getting paid. It carries an emailed statement from El-Sayed campaign spokesperson Cole Wozniak and says Dashti and America Next did not respond to requests for comment. It does not quote the lines in which Dashti says America Next offered $100 and then $200. As of October 4, 2026 the article contains no response from the College Republicans, America Next or the Rogers campaign.
Conservative PAC offering College Republicans $200 to heckle at Abdul El-Sayed rally, group chat messages seem to show · The Michigan DailyFull article, posted October 2, 2026 and updated October 3; the GroupMe message paragraphs and the statement from El-Sayed's campaign spokespersonDashti tells Iran International he does not work for the Rogers campaign and plans to keep showing up at events
In an interview published September 30, 2026, Iran International reported that Dashti belongs to the College Republicans and has met Mike Rogers, and that he said he does not work for Rogers and was not sent to the September 23 town hall on behalf of his campaign. Dashti said "I'm going to keep going, whether that means showing up at future events, mobilizing friends." The interview was published the day before his October 1 GroupMe messages.
[03]'I never asked about regime change': Student speaks out after El-Sayed exchange
Source excerpt
Dashti said he does not work for Rogers and was not sent to the town hall on behalf of his campaign. [...] "I'm going to keep going, whether that means showing up at future events, mobilizing friends," he said.
Iran International's interview with Dashti, published the day before his October 1 messages. It reports that he belongs to the College Republicans and has met Mike Rogers, and that he said he does not work for the Rogers campaign. It is Dashti's account of the September 23 question, not of the October 1 messages.
'I never asked about regime change': Student speaks out after El-Sayed exchangeSection "Scrutiny of Dashti's politics"
October 2026
9 events
America Next Inc reports $250,000 in spending against El-Sayed to the FEC
Source release
America Next Inc filed a Federal Election Commission Form 5 on October 1, 2026 reporting one independent expenditure of $250,000, dated September 29, to Breakthrough LLC for "canvassing and influencer marketing" that opposes El-Sayed in the Michigan Senate race. The FEC lists America Next Inc as an independent expenditure filer and not a committee. The filing does not mention students, the College Republicans, the Flint town hall or a $200 offer, and it does not say what the money paid for beyond that description.
[04]FEC Form 5: America Next Inc, 48-hour report of independent expenditures, filed October 1, 2026
Source excerpt
CANVASSING AND INFLUENCER MARKETING
A Federal Election Commission filing signed electronically for America Next Inc. It reports one independent expenditure of $250,000, dated September 29, 2026, to Breakthrough LLC at the same Baton Rouge address, for "canvassing and influencer marketing," opposing Abdul El-Sayed in the Michigan Senate race. The filing carries the standard certification that the expenditure was not made in cooperation or consultation with any candidate or party committee. It does not mention students, the College Republicans, the Flint town hall or the $200 offer, and it does not say what the $250,000 paid for beyond that description.
FEC Form 5: America Next Inc, 48-hour report of independent expenditures, filed October 1, 2026 · Federal Election CommissionForm 5 page 1 (covering period 09/29/2026 to 10/01/2026) and Schedule 5-E page 2, transaction F57.000001[05]FEC committee overview: America Next Inc (C90015439)
Source excerpt
Independent expenditure filer (not a committee)
The FEC lists America Next Inc, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as an independent expenditure filer and not a political committee. Its filings date from July 2015, and its most recent filing as of October 4, 2026 is the October 1 report. The Michigan Daily and HuffPost call America Next a political action committee; this record lists it under a different category.
FEC committee overview: America Next Inc (C90015439) · Federal Election CommissionCommittee type: Independent expenditure filer (not a committee)Dashti posts in the College Republicans chat that America Next offered $100, then $200, to attend El-Sayed's Flint town hall
Claim
At 8:42 p.m. on October 1, 2026 (the time zone is not stated; Eastern assumed), Iman Dashti posted in the University of Michigan College Republicans' main GroupMe chat that Abdul El-Sayed would hold a town hall in Flint on Saturday at 11 a.m. He wrote that members would "coordinate questions" and "boo him," that America Next "reached out to me to set this up," and that it offered $100 to each person who came and then agreed to $200. A second message at 8:45 p.m. asks members to RSVP on El-Sayed's event page and says he will coordinate carpools. America Next and Dashti did not respond to The Michigan Daily's requests for comment.
[06]Screenshots of Iman Dashti's October 1 GroupMe messages in the College Republicans main chat, posted by Distill Social
Source excerpt
The organization America Next reached out to me to set this up. They offered everyone who comes to show out against Abdul $100. I told them make it $200. AND THEY DID.
Two screenshots of the chat, which are the fullest copy of the message we found. We rely on the images, not on the post's caption, which says the money comes from a "Republican super pac for Mike Rogers." No report we found supports that, and we do not rely on it. The text of the 8:42 PM message matches the lines The Michigan Daily quoted, and HuffPost reports that the College Republicans said the messages are genuine. The first screenshot shows the message marked "(edited)" and a banner reading "Only owners and admins can post." We could not determine what was edited or when. A black bar covers a phone number in the message. A second message at 8:45 PM asks members to RSVP on El-Sayed's event page and says Dashti will coordinate carpools leaving Ann Arbor around 9 AM.
Screenshots of Iman Dashti's October 1 GroupMe messages in the College Republicans main chat, posted by Distill Social · Distill SocialX post, 2:34 PM EDT, Oct. 3, 2026; image 1 of 2 (8:42 PM message) and image 2 of 2 (8:45 PM message)[02]Conservative PAC offering College Republicans $200 to heckle at Abdul El-Sayed rally, group chat messages seem to show
Source excerpt
Engineering senior Iman Dashti made the offer in the U-M College Republicans’ GroupMe general chat Oct. 1 at 8:42 p.m., claiming to be working on behalf of America Next
The Michigan Daily's report on the October 1 GroupMe messages. It quotes parts of Iman Dashti's message, including the invitation to the Flint town hall, the plan to "coordinate questions" and "boo him," and the line about getting paid. It carries an emailed statement from El-Sayed campaign spokesperson Cole Wozniak and says Dashti and America Next did not respond to requests for comment. It does not quote the lines in which Dashti says America Next offered $100 and then $200. As of October 4, 2026 the article contains no response from the College Republicans, America Next or the Rogers campaign.
Conservative PAC offering College Republicans $200 to heckle at Abdul El-Sayed rally, group chat messages seem to show · The Michigan DailyFull article, posted October 2, 2026 and updated October 3; the GroupMe message paragraphs and the statement from El-Sayed's campaign spokespersonMike Rogers' campaign posts an ad featuring Dashti
At 8:41 a.m. EDT on October 2, 2026, the Rogers campaign's X account posted a 30-second ad in which Dashti says El-Sayed "can never, ever be a U.S. Senator." Dashti wrote on X that El-Sayed's "non-answer" to his September 23 question "created a viral moment that led to me officially meeting the Rogers campaign." The ad, Dashti's post and the Jewish Insider report do not mention the October 1 messages or America Next.
[07]Mike Rogers' campaign posts an ad featuring Iman Dashti (October 2, 2026)
Source excerpt
Abdul El-Sayed can never, ever be a U.S. Senator.
The Republican Senate nominee's campaign account posted a 30-second ad in which Dashti says Abdul El-Sayed "can never, ever be a U.S. Senator," followed by Rogers saying he approves the message. The post and the ad do not mention the group chat, America Next, the College Republicans or the Flint town hall.
Mike Rogers' campaign posts an ad featuring Iman Dashti (October 2, 2026) · Mike RogersX post, 8:41 AM EDT, Oct. 2, 2026; 30-second video[08]Rogers calls El-Sayed 'threat to our national security' in new ad
Source excerpt
A spokesperson for Rogers' campaign confirmed to Jewish Insider the seven-figure ad buy, launched in conjunction with the National Republican Senatorial Committee, is running statewide on digital platforms and will begin airing on TV on Saturday.
Jewish Insider's report on the Rogers campaign ad that features Dashti. It confirms the campaign's seven-figure ad buy with the National Republican Senatorial Committee. The article spells Dashti's first name "Imam." It does not mention the GroupMe messages or America Next.
Rogers calls El-Sayed 'threat to our national security' in new adParagraph beginning "A spokesperson for Rogers' campaign confirmed"[09]Iman Dashti on X: El-Sayed's "cowardly non-answer" "led to me officially meeting the Rogers campaign" (October 2, 2026)
Source excerpt
It was Abdul's cowardly non-answer that created a viral moment that led to me officially meeting the Rogers campaign.
Dashti's reply to the Rogers campaign's ad post, written the morning after his October 1 GroupMe messages. It says that El-Sayed's non-answer to his September 23 question created a viral moment that led to him meeting the Rogers campaign. It does not mention the group chat, America Next or the Flint town hall.
Iman Dashti on X: El-Sayed's "cowardly non-answer" "led to me officially meeting the Rogers campaign" (October 2, 2026) · Iman DashtiX post, 9:24 AM EDT, Oct. 2, 2026, quoting a post by @MikeRogersForMIThe Michigan Daily reports the group chat messages
Source release
At 9:21 p.m. EDT on October 2, 2026 (01:21 UTC October 3), The Michigan Daily published its report that students affiliated with the College Republicans were being offered $200 each to travel to El-Sayed's Flint town hall, citing Dashti's October 1 messages. The report quotes an emailed statement from El-Sayed campaign spokesperson Cole Wozniak, says Dashti and America Next did not respond to requests for comment, and says the Daily could find no evidence that the Rogers campaign had any direct involvement.
[02]Conservative PAC offering College Republicans $200 to heckle at Abdul El-Sayed rally, group chat messages seem to show
Source excerpt
Engineering senior Iman Dashti made the offer in the U-M College Republicans’ GroupMe general chat Oct. 1 at 8:42 p.m., claiming to be working on behalf of America Next
The Michigan Daily's report on the October 1 GroupMe messages. It quotes parts of Iman Dashti's message, including the invitation to the Flint town hall, the plan to "coordinate questions" and "boo him," and the line about getting paid. It carries an emailed statement from El-Sayed campaign spokesperson Cole Wozniak and says Dashti and America Next did not respond to requests for comment. It does not quote the lines in which Dashti says America Next offered $100 and then $200. As of October 4, 2026 the article contains no response from the College Republicans, America Next or the Rogers campaign.
Conservative PAC offering College Republicans $200 to heckle at Abdul El-Sayed rally, group chat messages seem to show · The Michigan DailyFull article, posted October 2, 2026 and updated October 3; the GroupMe message paragraphs and the statement from El-Sayed's campaign spokespersonDashti posts a video of an El-Sayed staffer at the Flint town hall
Incident
At 11:50 a.m. EDT on October 3, 2026, Dashti posted a video on X with the caption "Abdul staffers whispering and pointing at me for ten minutes in line, finally deciding to tell me this". HuffPost reports that Dashti was at the event and that the video shows a staffer who refused to let him enter the building. The post does not mention the group chat, America Next or any payment.
[10]Iman Dashti posts a video of an El-Sayed staffer at the Flint town hall (October 3, 2026)
Source excerpt
Abdul staffers whispering and pointing at me for ten minutes in line, finally deciding to tell me this:
Dashti's own post from the Flint event. The caption says staffers spoke to him after ten minutes in line, and HuffPost reports that the video shows a staffer who refused to let him enter the building. The post does not mention the group chat, America Next or any payment.
Iman Dashti posts a video of an El-Sayed staffer at the Flint town hall (October 3, 2026) · Iman DashtiX post, 11:50 AM EDT, Oct. 3, 2026; 65-second video[11]Right-Wingers Scramble To Extract A Win Out Of Heckler Booted From El-Sayed Campaign Event
Source excerpt
It's unclear whether the heckler who was removed from El-Sayed's Flint town hall was there to get paid, or if his outburst indeed made him $200 richer.
HuffPost's report from the Flint town hall, written by a reporter who covered the event. It quotes El-Sayed's remarks about the group chat, reports that the College Republicans confirmed the messages are genuine while distancing themselves from Dashti, says America Next did not return a request for comment, and says the Rogers campaign had not responded by publication. The article spells Dashti's first name "Imran"; his own X account, The Michigan Daily, Fox News and the Rogers campaign's post use "Iman." The article's subtitle says a conservative PAC "said it would pay for students to travel to the event," while its text attributes the offer to Dashti's message.
Right-Wingers Scramble To Extract A Win Out Of Heckler Booted From El-Sayed Campaign Event · HuffPostFull article, Oct. 3, 2026, 10:18 PM EDT; the paragraphs on El-Sayed's remarks, the heckler, the College Republicans' statement and America NextA heckler is removed from El-Sayed's Flint town hall, and El-Sayed cites the group chat
Incident
Near the end of El-Sayed's town hall at a Flint church on October 3, 2026, a man in a camouflage hoodie shouted "Hey Abdul, do you regret taking money from the Soros family?" and security escorted him out as the crowd jeered. HuffPost's reporter posted about the removal at 1:14 p.m. EDT. As the heckler left, El-Sayed said "In a University of Michigan Republican group chat, they pay them $200 to do exactly that." HuffPost reports it is unclear whether the heckler was there to get paid, and we found no report that identifies him.
[11]Right-Wingers Scramble To Extract A Win Out Of Heckler Booted From El-Sayed Campaign Event
Source excerpt
It's unclear whether the heckler who was removed from El-Sayed's Flint town hall was there to get paid, or if his outburst indeed made him $200 richer.
HuffPost's report from the Flint town hall, written by a reporter who covered the event. It quotes El-Sayed's remarks about the group chat, reports that the College Republicans confirmed the messages are genuine while distancing themselves from Dashti, says America Next did not return a request for comment, and says the Rogers campaign had not responded by publication. The article spells Dashti's first name "Imran"; his own X account, The Michigan Daily, Fox News and the Rogers campaign's post use "Iman." The article's subtitle says a conservative PAC "said it would pay for students to travel to the event," while its text attributes the offer to Dashti's message.
Right-Wingers Scramble To Extract A Win Out Of Heckler Booted From El-Sayed Campaign Event · HuffPostFull article, Oct. 3, 2026, 10:18 PM EDT; the paragraphs on El-Sayed's remarks, the heckler, the College Republicans' statement and America Next[12]HuffPost reporter's post on a heckler removed from El-Sayed's Flint town hall
Source excerpt
One heckler is removed from the AES town hall here in Flint after yelling at El-Sayed about "taking Soros money." He's removed from the room. El-Sayed claims Michigan College Republicans are paying hecklers $200 apiece to disrupt his events.
A HuffPost reporter's post from the event. The videos show the crowd chanting "USA" and the removal of the heckler. Neither video includes El-Sayed's remarks about the group chat, and we could not locate video of those remarks. HuffPost's article quotes them.
HuffPost reporter's post on a heckler removed from El-Sayed's Flint town hall · HuffPostX post, 1:14 PM EDT, Oct. 3, 2026; two videos (26 and 16 seconds)The College Republicans respond on X and to HuffPost
Reaction
On October 3, 2026 the University of Michigan College Republicans replied on X that the organization "did not orchestrate any of that, nor did the Rogers campaign." In a statement to HuffPost, the organization confirmed the messages in its chat are genuine, according to HuffPost, and said "Anything that a particular member may have advertised in our group chat does not reflect the values of our organization as a whole" and that it "did not in any manner coordinate" with Dashti. The organization told HuffPost that only administrators can now send new messages in the chat.
[13]College Republicans at UMich reply on X to a post asking about Dashti (October 3, 2026)
Source excerpt
Our organization did not orchestrate any of that, nor did the Rogers campaign, as he is not on their staff or on our executive board. That opportunity was presented to Iman following that viral moment and was in no part related to his attendance or actions at the previous event.
The organization's official X account replied to a post from @AverageDems that said, "You expect me to believe @dashti_iman wasn't paid to ask that question, but literally was offering people to get paid to ask a question at another town hall. Any comment, @UMichGOP?" The reply does not mention America Next, the $200 figure or the Flint town hall by name, and it does not say what "that opportunity" was or who presented it.
College Republicans at UMich reply on X to a post asking about Dashti (October 3, 2026) · College Republicans at the University of MichiganX post, 2:37 PM EDT, Oct. 3, 2026, in reply to a post by @AverageDems[11]Right-Wingers Scramble To Extract A Win Out Of Heckler Booted From El-Sayed Campaign Event
Source excerpt
It's unclear whether the heckler who was removed from El-Sayed's Flint town hall was there to get paid, or if his outburst indeed made him $200 richer.
HuffPost's report from the Flint town hall, written by a reporter who covered the event. It quotes El-Sayed's remarks about the group chat, reports that the College Republicans confirmed the messages are genuine while distancing themselves from Dashti, says America Next did not return a request for comment, and says the Rogers campaign had not responded by publication. The article spells Dashti's first name "Imran"; his own X account, The Michigan Daily, Fox News and the Rogers campaign's post use "Iman." The article's subtitle says a conservative PAC "said it would pay for students to travel to the event," while its text attributes the offer to Dashti's message.
Right-Wingers Scramble To Extract A Win Out Of Heckler Booted From El-Sayed Campaign Event · HuffPostFull article, Oct. 3, 2026, 10:18 PM EDT; the paragraphs on El-Sayed's remarks, the heckler, the College Republicans' statement and America NextA viral X post says a leaked chat shows "Republicans" offering $200 per person
Claim
At 7:47 p.m. EDT on October 3, 2026, the account @GOP__Ls posted a screenshot of Dashti's message with the text "LEAKED CHAT shows Republicans offering $200 per person to disrupt an Abdul El-Sayed event." It had more than 400,000 views by October 4. The post's wording refers to Republicans in general. The reporting describes the messages as posted by a College Republicans member who names America Next, and The Michigan Daily found no evidence that the Rogers campaign had any direct involvement.
[14]@GOP__Ls on X: "LEAKED CHAT shows Republicans offering $200 per person to disrupt an Abdul El-Sayed event"
Source excerpt
LEAKED CHAT shows Republicans offering $200 per person to disrupt an Abdul El-Sayed event.
A post from an account that publishes criticism of Republicans, with a screenshot of Dashti's message beside a photo of Mike Rogers. When we checked on October 4, 2026 it had more than 400,000 views. We cite it for how the claim spread, not as evidence of the offer. The post says "Republicans"; the reporting attributes the messages to a College Republicans member who names America Next, and The Michigan Daily found no evidence of direct involvement by the Rogers campaign.
@GOP__Ls on X: "LEAKED CHAT shows Republicans offering $200 per person to disrupt an Abdul El-Sayed event"X post, 7:47 PM EDT, Oct. 3, 2026; one imageMEAWW rates the claim that Republicans offered $200 per person unconfirmed
MEAWW published a fact-check of the viral post's claim that Republicans offered $200 per person. It rated the claim unconfirmed, writing that the reports do not establish a direct connection to the GOP and that it found no credible evidence tying Dashti to the GOP. The fact-check addresses the post's wording about Republicans. It does not rule on whether the messages are genuine, and it does not mention Dashti's membership in the College Republicans or the Rogers campaign ad.
[15]Fact Check: Did Republicans offer $200 per person to disrupt Abdul El-Sayed's event?
Source excerpt
However, the reports do not establish that the initiative was directly linked to the GOP.
A fact-check of the viral post's claim that "Republicans" offered $200 per person. It rates the claim unconfirmed, saying the reports do not establish a direct link to the GOP and that it found no credible evidence tying Dashti to the GOP. It does not mention that Dashti belongs to the College Republicans or that he appears in a Rogers campaign ad. The rating addresses the post's wording about Republicans, not whether the messages are genuine.
Fact Check: Did Republicans offer $200 per person to disrupt Abdul El-Sayed's event?Section "Fact Check: The claim is unconfirmed"
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What was said
Attributed statement
Cole Wozniak, El-Sayed's campaign spokesperson, asked in an email to The Michigan Daily whether Mike Rogers "has to pay $200 per person to get people to show up at an event," and said hundreds of Michiganders attend El-Sayed's town halls for free.
Sources (1)
- Conservative PAC offering College Republicans $200 to heckle at Abdul El-Sayed rally, group chat messages seem to show · The Michigan DailyFull article, posted October 2, 2026 and updated October 3; the GroupMe message paragraphs and the statement from El-Sayed's campaign spokesperson
What's disputed
Disputed claim
Iman Dashti wrote in the University of Michigan College Republicans' GroupMe chat on October 1, 2026 that America Next reached out to him to set up attendance at Abdul El-Sayed's Flint town hall, offered everyone who came $100 to show out against El-Sayed, and agreed to $200 after he asked.
Sources (2)
- Screenshots of Iman Dashti's October 1 GroupMe messages in the College Republicans main chat, posted by Distill Social · Distill SocialX post, 2:34 PM EDT, Oct. 3, 2026; image 1 of 2 (8:42 PM message) and image 2 of 2 (8:45 PM message)
- Conservative PAC offering College Republicans $200 to heckle at Abdul El-Sayed rally, group chat messages seem to show · The Michigan DailyFull article, posted October 2, 2026 and updated October 3; the GroupMe message paragraphs and the statement from El-Sayed's campaign spokesperson
Disputed claim
Abdul El-Sayed said on October 3, 2026, as a heckler was removed from his Flint town hall, that in a University of Michigan Republican group chat "they pay them $200 to do exactly that," a remark HuffPost reported as El-Sayed suggesting the removed heckler could be a paid protester.
Sources (2)
- Right-Wingers Scramble To Extract A Win Out Of Heckler Booted From El-Sayed Campaign Event · HuffPostFull article, Oct. 3, 2026, 10:18 PM EDT; the paragraphs on El-Sayed's remarks, the heckler, the College Republicans' statement and America Next
- HuffPost reporter's post on a heckler removed from El-Sayed's Flint town hall · HuffPostX post, 1:14 PM EDT, Oct. 3, 2026; two videos (26 and 16 seconds)
Disputed claim
The University of Michigan College Republicans told HuffPost on October 3, 2026 that it "did not in any manner coordinate" with Iman Dashti on the $200 solicitation, and replied on X the same day, to a post doubting that Dashti was unpaid for his September 23 question, that it "did not orchestrate any of that, nor did the Rogers campaign."
College Republicans at the University of Michigan
Sources (2)
- Right-Wingers Scramble To Extract A Win Out Of Heckler Booted From El-Sayed Campaign Event · HuffPostFull article, Oct. 3, 2026, 10:18 PM EDT; the paragraphs on El-Sayed's remarks, the heckler, the College Republicans' statement and America Next
- College Republicans at UMich reply on X to a post asking about Dashti (October 3, 2026) · College Republicans at the University of MichiganX post, 2:37 PM EDT, Oct. 3, 2026, in reply to a post by @AverageDems
Response record
Responses
Latest recorded positions: 3. Dates: October 2, 2026 to October 3, 2026
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
1 response on this page
Abdul El-SayedDirectly involved"In a University of Michigan Republican group chat, they pay them $200 to do exactly that ... They'll pay $200 for someone to waste his money, show up and heckle me ... I'm just saying, you deserve a better social life than that."
CondemnedResponding to: Abdul El-Sayed said on October 3, 2026, as a heckler was removed from his Flint town hall, that in a University of Michigan Republican group chat "they pay them $200 to do exactly that," a remark HuffPost reported as El-Sayed suggesting the removed heckler could be a paid protester.
Read more
At his October 3, 2026 town hall in Flint, as a heckler was escorted out, Abdul El-Sayed said "In a University of Michigan Republican group chat, they pay them $200 to do exactly that". HuffPost also quotes him saying "They'll pay $200 for someone to waste his money, show up and heckle me" and "I'm just saying, you deserve a better social life than that". HuffPost reported that El-Sayed suggested the heckler could be a paid protester and that it is unclear whether the heckler was there to get paid. El-Sayed did not name America Next in the remarks HuffPost quotes, and he did not say who the heckler was.
Role at the time: Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Michigan, speaking at a campaign town hall in Flint
Before the statement
El-Sayed was near the end of his "Shouldn't Be This Hard" town hall in Flint. A man in a camouflage hoodie had shouted a question about taking money from the Soros family, and security escorted him out as the crowd jeered. Earlier, El-Sayed had urged the crowd to "clap for the Republicans" attending the event.
After the statement
El-Sayed then returned to campaign messaging, telling the crowd "We've got an opportunity to build the kind of politics we need and deserve." His aides directed HuffPost to The Michigan Daily's report. HuffPost reports there is no evidence the Rogers campaign was involved in a scheme to pay hecklers. We found no report that identifies the removed heckler.
Right-Wingers Scramble To Extract A Win Out Of Heckler Booted From El-Sayed Campaign Event · HuffPostFull article, Oct. 3, 2026, 10:18 PM EDT; the paragraphs on El-Sayed's remarks, the heckler, the College Republicans' statement and America NextHuffPost reporter's post on a heckler removed from El-Sayed's Flint town hall · HuffPostX post, 1:14 PM EDT, Oct. 3, 2026; two videos (26 and 16 seconds)Why this label?
Relative to the proposition that America Next offered College Republicans members $200 each to attend and disrupt the Flint town hall, El-Sayed endorses the central claim that people in a University of Michigan Republican group chat are being paid $200 to heckle him. In the remarks HuffPost quotes, he refers to a group chat rather than to America Next, and he does not say the removed heckler was paid. Condemned fits because he states that the payment exists and criticizes it. The closest competing label is Mixed or conditional, because HuffPost describes his comment about the heckler as a suggestion, but his statement about the group chat is stated flatly.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Sources
(15)
Reporting
Conservative PAC offering College Republicans $200 to heckle at Abdul El-Sayed rally, group chat messages seem to show
Relevant passage: Full article, posted October 2, 2026 and updated October 3; the GroupMe message paragraphs and the statement from El-Sayed's campaign spokesperson
Excerpt
"Engineering senior Iman Dashti made the offer in the U-M College Republicans’ GroupMe general chat Oct. 1 at 8:42 p.m., claiming to be working on behalf of America Next"
About this source
The Michigan Daily's report on the October 1 GroupMe messages. It quotes parts of Iman Dashti's message, including the invitation to the Flint town hall, the plan to "coordinate questions" and "boo him," and the line about getting paid. It carries an emailed statement from El-Sayed campaign spokesperson Cole Wozniak and says Dashti and America Next did not respond to requests for comment. It does not quote the lines in which Dashti says America Next offered $100 and then $200. As of October 4, 2026 the article contains no response from the College Republicans, America Next or the Rogers campaign.
- Author
- Glenn Hedin
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
@GOP__Ls on X: "LEAKED CHAT shows Republicans offering $200 per person to disrupt an Abdul El-Sayed event"
Excerpt
"LEAKED CHAT shows Republicans offering $200 per person to disrupt an Abdul El-Sayed event."
About this source
A post from an account that publishes criticism of Republicans, with a screenshot of Dashti's message beside a photo of Mike Rogers. When we checked on October 4, 2026 it had more than 400,000 views. We cite it for how the claim spread, not as evidence of the offer. The post says "Republicans"; the reporting attributes the messages to a College Republicans member who names America Next, and The Michigan Daily found no evidence of direct involvement by the Rogers campaign.
- Author
- GOP Ls (@GOP__Ls)
- Published
- Accessed
Analysis
Fact Check: Did Republicans offer $200 per person to disrupt Abdul El-Sayed's event?
Relevant passage: Section "Fact Check: The claim is unconfirmed"
Excerpt
"However, the reports do not establish that the initiative was directly linked to the GOP."
About this source
A fact-check of the viral post's claim that "Republicans" offered $200 per person. It rates the claim unconfirmed, saying the reports do not establish a direct link to the GOP and that it found no credible evidence tying Dashti to the GOP. It does not mention that Dashti belongs to the College Republicans or that he appears in a Rogers campaign ad. The rating addresses the post's wording about Republicans, not whether the messages are genuine.
- Author
- Saurav Suresh (MEAWW)
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
'I never asked about regime change': Student speaks out after El-Sayed exchange
Relevant passage: Section "Scrutiny of Dashti's politics"
Excerpt
"Dashti said he does not work for Rogers and was not sent to the town hall on behalf of his campaign. [...] "I'm going to keep going, whether that means showing up at future events, mobilizing friends," he said."
About this source
Iran International's interview with Dashti, published the day before his October 1 messages. It reports that he belongs to the College Republicans and has met Mike Rogers, and that he said he does not work for the Rogers campaign. It is Dashti's account of the September 23 question, not of the October 1 messages.
- Author
- Negar Mojtahedi (Iran International)
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Michigan student confronts El-Sayed over Iran stance in tense exchange: 'Do you stand with us?'
Relevant passage: Paragraph beginning "Dashti asked El-Sayed whether he regretted that silence"
Excerpt
"Dashti asked El-Sayed whether he regretted that silence, whether he would renounce people who held vigils supporting Khamenei and whether he stood "unequivocally against the IRGC" and the Islamic Republic of Iran."
About this source
Fox News's report of the evening of September 23, 2026 (U.S. Eastern time) on Dashti's question to El-Sayed at the "Students vs. Billionaires" town hall at the University of Michigan, with El-Sayed's answer. It is background on the September 23 exchange that Dashti refers to in his October 1 message.
- Author
- Jasmine Baehr
- Published
- Accessed
Archived source
FEC committee overview: America Next Inc (C90015439)
Relevant passage: Committee type: Independent expenditure filer (not a committee)
Excerpt
"Independent expenditure filer (not a committee)"
About this source
The FEC lists America Next Inc, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as an independent expenditure filer and not a political committee. Its filings date from July 2015, and its most recent filing as of October 4, 2026 is the October 1 report. The Michigan Daily and HuffPost call America Next a political action committee; this record lists it under a different category.
- Author
- Federal Election Commission
- Accessed
Original text
FEC Form 5: America Next Inc, 48-hour report of independent expenditures, filed October 1, 2026
Relevant passage: Form 5 page 1 (covering period 09/29/2026 to 10/01/2026) and Schedule 5-E page 2, transaction F57.000001
Excerpt
"CANVASSING AND INFLUENCER MARKETING"
About this source
A Federal Election Commission filing signed electronically for America Next Inc. It reports one independent expenditure of $250,000, dated September 29, 2026, to Breakthrough LLC at the same Baton Rouge address, for "canvassing and influencer marketing," opposing Abdul El-Sayed in the Michigan Senate race. The filing carries the standard certification that the expenditure was not made in cooperation or consultation with any candidate or party committee. It does not mention students, the College Republicans, the Flint town hall or the $200 offer, and it does not say what the $250,000 paid for beyond that description.
- Author
- America Next Inc
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Rogers calls El-Sayed 'threat to our national security' in new ad
Relevant passage: Paragraph beginning "A spokesperson for Rogers' campaign confirmed"
Excerpt
"A spokesperson for Rogers' campaign confirmed to Jewish Insider the seven-figure ad buy, launched in conjunction with the National Republican Senatorial Committee, is running statewide on digital platforms and will begin airing on TV on Saturday."
About this source
Jewish Insider's report on the Rogers campaign ad that features Dashti. It confirms the campaign's seven-figure ad buy with the National Republican Senatorial Committee. The article spells Dashti's first name "Imam." It does not mention the GroupMe messages or America Next.
- Author
- Matthew Kassel (Jewish Insider)
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Mike Rogers' campaign posts an ad featuring Iman Dashti (October 2, 2026)
Excerpt
"Abdul El-Sayed can never, ever be a U.S. Senator."
About this source
The Republican Senate nominee's campaign account posted a 30-second ad in which Dashti says Abdul El-Sayed "can never, ever be a U.S. Senator," followed by Rogers saying he approves the message. The post and the ad do not mention the group chat, America Next, the College Republicans or the Flint town hall.
- Author
- Mike Rogers (@MikeRogersForMI)
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Iman Dashti on X: El-Sayed's "cowardly non-answer" "led to me officially meeting the Rogers campaign" (October 2, 2026)
Excerpt
"It was Abdul's cowardly non-answer that created a viral moment that led to me officially meeting the Rogers campaign."
About this source
Dashti's reply to the Rogers campaign's ad post, written the morning after his October 1 GroupMe messages. It says that El-Sayed's non-answer to his September 23 question created a viral moment that led to him meeting the Rogers campaign. It does not mention the group chat, America Next or the Flint town hall.
- Author
- Iman Dashti
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Iman Dashti posts a video of an El-Sayed staffer at the Flint town hall (October 3, 2026)
Excerpt
"Abdul staffers whispering and pointing at me for ten minutes in line, finally deciding to tell me this:"
About this source
Dashti's own post from the Flint event. The caption says staffers spoke to him after ten minutes in line, and HuffPost reports that the video shows a staffer who refused to let him enter the building. The post does not mention the group chat, America Next or any payment.
- Author
- Iman Dashti
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
College Republicans at UMich reply on X to a post asking about Dashti (October 3, 2026)
Excerpt
"Our organization did not orchestrate any of that, nor did the Rogers campaign, as he is not on their staff or on our executive board. That opportunity was presented to Iman following that viral moment and was in no part related to his attendance or actions at the previous event."
About this source
The organization's official X account replied to a post from @AverageDems that said, "You expect me to believe @dashti_iman wasn't paid to ask that question, but literally was offering people to get paid to ask a question at another town hall. Any comment, @UMichGOP?" The reply does not mention America Next, the $200 figure or the Flint town hall by name, and it does not say what "that opportunity" was or who presented it.
- Author
- College Republicans at UMich
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
HuffPost reporter's post on a heckler removed from El-Sayed's Flint town hall
Excerpt
"One heckler is removed from the AES town hall here in Flint after yelling at El-Sayed about "taking Soros money." He's removed from the room. El-Sayed claims Michigan College Republicans are paying hecklers $200 apiece to disrupt his events."
About this source
A HuffPost reporter's post from the event. The videos show the crowd chanting "USA" and the removal of the heckler. Neither video includes El-Sayed's remarks about the group chat, and we could not locate video of those remarks. HuffPost's article quotes them.
- Author
- Benjamin S. Weiss (HuffPost)
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Right-Wingers Scramble To Extract A Win Out Of Heckler Booted From El-Sayed Campaign Event
Relevant passage: Full article, Oct. 3, 2026, 10:18 PM EDT; the paragraphs on El-Sayed's remarks, the heckler, the College Republicans' statement and America Next
Excerpt
"It's unclear whether the heckler who was removed from El-Sayed's Flint town hall was there to get paid, or if his outburst indeed made him $200 richer."
About this source
HuffPost's report from the Flint town hall, written by a reporter who covered the event. It quotes El-Sayed's remarks about the group chat, reports that the College Republicans confirmed the messages are genuine while distancing themselves from Dashti, says America Next did not return a request for comment, and says the Rogers campaign had not responded by publication. The article spells Dashti's first name "Imran"; his own X account, The Michigan Daily, Fox News and the Rogers campaign's post use "Iman." The article's subtitle says a conservative PAC "said it would pay for students to travel to the event," while its text attributes the offer to Dashti's message.
- Author
- Benjamin S. Weiss
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Screenshots of Iman Dashti's October 1 GroupMe messages in the College Republicans main chat, posted by Distill Social
Excerpt
"The organization America Next reached out to me to set this up. They offered everyone who comes to show out against Abdul $100. I told them make it $200. AND THEY DID."
About this source
Two screenshots of the chat, which are the fullest copy of the message we found. We rely on the images, not on the post's caption, which says the money comes from a "Republican super pac for Mike Rogers." No report we found supports that, and we do not rely on it. The text of the 8:42 PM message matches the lines The Michigan Daily quoted, and HuffPost reports that the College Republicans said the messages are genuine. The first screenshot shows the message marked "(edited)" and a banner reading "Only owners and admins can post." We could not determine what was edited or when. A black bar covers a phone number in the message. A second message at 8:45 PM asks members to RSVP on El-Sayed's event page and says Dashti will coordinate carpools leaving Ann Arbor around 9 AM.
- Author
- Distill Social (screenshots of messages by Iman Dashti)
- Published
- Accessed
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Did a conservative group offer College Republicans $200 each to disrupt Abdul El-Sayed's Flint town hall, as group chat messages suggest?
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/cases/did-a-conservative-group-offer-college-republicans-200-each-to-disrupt-abdul-el-sayeds-flint-town-hall-as-group-chat-messages-suggest
The Dispute Index. "Did a conservative group offer College Republicans $200 each to disrupt Abdul El-Sayed's Flint town hall, as group chat messages suggest?". First published: 2026-10-04. Last updated: 2026-10-04. https://disputeindex.com/cases/did-a-conservative-group-offer-college-republicans-200-each-to-disrupt-abdul-el-sayeds-flint-town-hall-as-group-chat-messages-suggest