Legal Insurrection by Ben Smith Saturday, October 3, 2026
Abdul El-Sayed billed Wayne County taxpayers $9,000 a month for consulting while running for Senate under a contract worth up to $72,000.Abdul El-Sayed left his job as Wayne County’s health director to run for the U.S. Senate. The county still had work for him, apparently. His company, AME Higher LLC, billed $9,000 a month under a consulting deal worth as much as $72,000.
Thirty hours of work a month, at roughly $300 an hour. A fairly comfortable landing after leaving public service.
The Washington Free Beacon reported October 2 that Wayne County retained El-Sayed to help with the leadership transition at its Department of Health, Human and Veterans Services. He had led the department for about two years. They had him down for eight months of consulting, ending in December 2025. The contract was never put before the Wayne County Commission for approval, and it was not disclosed to the public.
Sure, a new director might need help from the person who just left. There will be things to sort out. But eight months? With another $9,000 on the tab every month, taxpayers are entitled to ask what took so long.
Four invoices showed up in the August report. They were submitted between August and December 2025, for $9,000 each. That is $36,000 in billings, with room under the contract for another $36,000. How much was paid out is still a separate question. The report did not account for the full $72,000.
More:
https://legalinsurrection.com/2026/10/abdul-el-sayed-billed-taxpayers-9000-a-month-during-campaign/
