Overview

• Mathura Sridharan began serving as Ohio’s 12th Solicitor General on July 31 after roles as Deputy Solicitor General and director of the state’s Tenth Amendment Center.
• A surge of social media posts targeted her Indian heritage and traditional bindi to falsely question her American identity.
• Attorney General Dave Yost publicly affirmed that she is a U.S. citizen and highlighted endorsements from former Solicitor Generals Benjamin Flowers and Elliot Gaiser.
• Sridharan holds a Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law, dual bachelor’s and master’s degrees from MIT, and argued Ohio v. EPA before the U.S. Supreme Court.
• The episode highlights broader tensions over cultural expression and diversity in state government appointments.