Hi John, David here.
With all the news about Marjorie Taylor Greene lately, I want to share the story of how I first met her.
In 2019, just a year after the shooting at my high school, I was in D.C. lobbying for gun control. Marjorie Taylor Greene wasn’t in Congress yet, but she was already a far-right troll spreading conspiracy theories online.
She tracked me down as I was walking into the Capitol, recording me, screaming at me, and calling me a coward because I wouldn’t engage. I stayed silent — not just because I was genuinely concerned for my safety, but because I was taught not to feed bullies. And honestly, you’d think a grown woman would realize how absolutely deranged she looked chasing an 18-year-old around the Capitol.
Fast forward to now. You’ve probably seen her sudden breakup with MAGA and her media apology tour trying to rebrand herself as a moderate, serious leader.
For years, her entire political identity was conspiracy theories, white supremacy, and cruelty. And now? She says she’s sorry, claims social media misled her, and wants us to think she no longer believes in the conspiracies she spread for years.
Last week on MSNBC, I was asked if I believe her. Honestly? It's hard to take seriously. A woman who built her career spreading hate and putting people in danger doesn’t just change overnight. It’s likely she’s either angling for a 2028 presidential run or putting on a revenge tour after Trump blocked her Georgia governor bid.
But one thing is undeniable: her constituents are struggling. ACA subsidies are expiring, costs are rising, and working people are feeling the squeeze. She knows it — and she knows staying silent could hurt her politically.
But no matter how she got here, here’s what I said directly to her:
If Marjorie Taylor Greene wants to work together to figure out how we can save even just one life from gun violence or protect access to healthcare, that is something I’m willing to do. I’ll be the adult here and focus on what matters: stop the senseless death caused by weak gun laws and ensure people don't lose their care because ACA subsidies lapse.
That's what we need to be focused on, not just the past and the screwed up things that she's done. I wouldn't say that I'm in a position to forgive her for everything she’s said, including that the shooting at my high school didn't happen. But what I care about more than anything is not an apology to me or the other people she's said incredibly insulting things to, but what she does to show that she's actually changed. And that will be through her votes.
That applies to every MAGA politician realizing their policies are hurting the people who elected them. Many only act because they’re worried about re-election. But whatever finally gets them to start helping, we can’t wait — action has to start now.
This is exactly why Leaders We Deserve exists, John. We’re helping elect young, progressive leaders who do what’s right for their community, not what’s right for their re-election odds. We’re building a new generation of leadership that doesn’t just talk on cable news — they show up, take hard votes, reject corporate PAC money, and fight like our futures depend on it. Because they do.
Saying sorry doesn’t save lives. Action does.
— David
