A producer for Matt Gaetz's show on One America News has been dismissed after sharing a deeply offensive antisemitic video that caused significant internal disruption at the conservative network and prompted public criticism from fellow presenters.
Network Turmoil Over Antisemitic Content
Vish Burra, who served as booker and scriptwriter for The Matt Gaetz Show, was terminated after network executives determined his social media posts were offensive and bigoted, according to sources who confirmed the dismissal to The Independent. The controversy began when Burra shared an AI-generated cartoon on X that portrayed Jewish people as cockroaches.
The video, created using Sora by an extremist social media account, showed a character representing Burra bursting into a "Scheming Room" marked with the Star of David. Upon switching on the light, he discovers insects resembling cockroaches gathered around piles of cash, which immediately begin to sizzle and burn before scattering while screaming.
Colleague's Public Condemnation
OAN anchor Stella Escobedo, who recently conducted an exclusive interview with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, publicly expressed her distress about Burra's actions. "I'm very hurt, disappointed and concerned that someone I work with - chose to post this," Escobedo tweeted. "Posts like these create violence toward Jews. Dehumanizing a group is the first step on a road we've seen before. And that road leads to the mass murder of Jews."
Identifying herself as a Jewish woman in subsequent posts, Escobedo emphasised that she "will never accept anyone trying to dehumanize Jews or treat it like something normal."
Gaetz's Initial Support and Escalating Controversy
After remaining silent throughout Friday and not responding to The Independent's request for comment regarding his producer's conduct, Matt Gaetz eventually addressed the situation over the weekend. Initially, he appeared to stand by Burra despite mounting criticism.
"My producer Vish Burra posted something dumb this week. He knew it was dumb and quickly deleted it," Gaetz wrote on X. "I too have posted dumb things on social media without thinking - some I've deleted, some I haven't. And I've had to pay some consequences along the way. Vish will too."
However, Escobedo challenged Gaetz's characterisation of events, noting that the video had remained online for several hours rather than being promptly removed. She also highlighted numerous other concerning tweets from Burra, including references to Jewish women as "stinky yenta" and comments describing women's suffrage as "a mistake."
Broader MAGA Movement Fractures
Burra's inflammatory social media activity represents a growing division within American conservative circles, exacerbated by Tucker Carlson's friendly interview with Holocaust-denier Nick Fuentes. This incident has threatened to ignite a full-scale MAGA 'civil war' concerning the Republican Party's direction, particularly regarding military and diplomatic support for Israel.
The controversy has also triggered an "open rebellion" at the Heritage Foundation after its president Kevin Roberts initially defended Carlson's gentle treatment of Fuentes. Roberts has since apologised for his vigorous support of the former Fox News personality but continues to struggle containing the fallout as additional Heritage staff members resign over the dispute.
Internal sources at OAN revealed to The Independent that Burra's posts caused considerable behind-the-scenes disruption, with multiple reporters and hosts urging management to take action against both the producer and Gaetz's programme.
