“My message to Kevin McCarthy is, remove all committee work … don’t support it either when you run for re-election and try that primary. If you say this is not your party, actually call “Make her responsible,” Hogg told CNN’s Alisyn Camerota on “New.”
He continued: “Republicans always act as if they were the party of decency and respect. But would the party of decency and respect question whether or not school traits occurred? Would they harass the survivors of those traits to have opinions? “I don’t think so. And if Kevin McCarthy doesn’t think so, he has to stand up and do something about this congresswoman.”
Greene, who has been assigned to the House Education and Work Committee, has faced requests to resign following reports he accepted with comments saying the 2018 high school shooting Marjory Stoneman Douglas was a “false flag” operation, which refers to acts designed by the perpetrators must appear to have been performed by other individuals or groups. Hogg survived the shooting and has since become a vocal advocate of tighter gun regulation, co-founding March for Our Lives.
In the video, Greene follows Hogg, 18, at the time, as he walks toward the U.S. Capitol and is heard making baseless claims as he asks him about gun rights and how he was able to meet with the senators. Hogg continues walking without addressing Greene.
“He’s a coward,” Greene says at the end of the video as Hogg walks away, claiming his activism was funded by billionaire philanthropist George Soros, who is often the subject of far-right and other liberal conspiracy theories. “He can’t say a word because he can’t defend his stance.”
Greene did not apologize in a statement to CNN, which said the video was made while he was in Washington, “going from office to office in the Senate to oppose the radical gun control agenda that was driving David Hogg “.
Hogg reflected on his encounter with Greene on Thursday, telling Camerota that he was trying to “keep his face straight” and practice mindfulness meditation that would help him cope with PTSD and ADHD.
“Sometimes it’s fair, you know, as I was told growing up, it’s better not to respond to bullies and walk away,” Hogg said.
He also said he felt “absolutely” that it was a threat when Greene said in the video that he was carrying a gun, but told himself “if they shoot me, they prove my point.”
“And the reality is they can’t kill a move,” he told Camerota.
McCarthy spokesman Mark Bednar told CNN Wednesday that his comments are “deeply disturbing” and that the California Republican “plans to hold a conversation with the congresswoman about it.”
This story has been updated with additional comments and background information.
CNN’s Paul LeBlanc contributed to this report.