NFL star Joe Burrow’s charitable organization has removed a board member over his remarks addressing the murder of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
Hamilton County municipal court Judge Ted Berry, who was first elected to serve Cincinnati and the surrounding areas in 2005, has faced criticism for messages that he posted to Facebook after Kirk was gunned down at a Utah Valley University event on Wednesday. Among Berry’s comments were “Rest in Hatred & Division!” and “How’s he feel about gun violence & gun control in Hell, now?” as published by local outlets including the Cincinnati Enquirer.
The Joe Burrow Foundation announced Friday that a board member had been removed, although the individual was not named. “We have terminated an advisory board member that made inappropriate remarks in light of recent events and they are no longer associated with the Foundation,” read the group’s statement. “Their comments do not reflect our values or our mission.”
In a statement to the Enquirer, Berry said he does not condone violence. “I regret if I caused division,” he said. “That was not my intent. And I hope there can be peace.”
The Facebook comments led State Rep. Adam Mathews, a Republican for the district that includes the Ohio cities of Lebanon and Mason, to deem the remarks “shocking and completely unacceptable” and call for Berry’s resignation in a statement released Friday. Berry, whom the Hamilton County Democratic Party endorsed, has previously said he will retire in January when his term ends.
Burrow, who plays quarterback for the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals, is the president and founder of the Joe Burrow Foundation. The charity was established in 2022 to help children dealing with mental health issues and food insecurity.
Other public figures have faced criticism over comments made following the murder of the 31-year-old conservative commentator and Turning Point USA co-founder. MSNBC fired political analyst Matthew Dowd for on-air comments about Kirk, while Stephen King has apologized for a tweet about him.