BY VEENA RAO
Atlanta, GA, October 22, 2024: Ashwin Ramaswami, Democratic candidate for Georgia’s State Senate District 48, held a press conference Tuesday afternoon to denounce, what he said, were a series of attack mailers and negative advertisements launched by his opponent, Republican incumbent Shawn Still. Ramaswami condemned the ads as “racist and false smear campaigns” and called for an apology from Still.
The press conference, held in Atlanta, brought together Indian American leaders and local organizations to support Ramaswami and decry the negative campaign tactics, which they said had resulted in death threats against Ramaswami and his family.
Kannan Udayarajan, Chairman of the Forsyth County Democratic Committee, opened the press conference by condemning the attack ads for diverting attention away from the real issues voters care about. “Instead of focusing on policies and debates,” Udayarajan stated, “Shawn Still has chosen to use negative, racially charged attack ads in an attempt to smear Ashwin Ramaswami’s character.” Udayarajan went on to criticize Still for avoiding public debates with Ramaswami and for using smear tactics that have “no place in Georgia politics.”
Udayarajan also read a statement from a coalition of local organizations, including Desis for Democracy, They See Blue Georgia, Indian American Impact Fund, and South Asians for Harris, among others. The statement expressed outrage at the “false and degrading” political ads and urged a return to civil discourse. Udayarajan emphasized that the attack ads “crossed a line” and that the groups are committed to supporting candidates who engage in respectful political campaigning.
Taking the podium, Ashwin Ramaswami described the attack mailers as “deeply racist and harmful.”
“Last week, I went public to denounce the racist and hateful smear attacks against me and my candidacy for Georgia State Senate District 48,” he said. “My criminally indicted opponent, Shawn Still, represents the worst of American politics. He has abused his power by impersonating the sheriff’s office, darkened my skin in attack ads, and instructed citizens to call the cops on me, his political opponent. As a result, my family and I have received death threats, and we fear for the safety of everyone working on my campaign—young and old alike. Politics should never involve such tactics.”
Ramaswami said the attack ads impersonated the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office and also falsely accused him of soliciting children.
“In the second week of September, one of his mailers, which impersonated the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, hit mailboxes in District 48. It darkened my skin and instructed citizens to call the cops if they saw me in public. Since then, Shawn Still and his allies have sent three additional mailers continuing this racist rhetoric, even including false claims of me “soliciting children in your area.” These are outright lies. There’s been no request for contact information and no invasion of privacy.”
He also highlighted his qualifications, noting that he holds a top-secret security clearance from his work with the federal government. “These kinds of baseless accusations are not only defamatory but dangerous,” Ramaswami said. “They incite fear and violence, and we’ve already seen the consequences with the hate mail and threats my family and I have received.”
Ramaswami criticized Shawn Still for refusing to disavow the ads. “Despite these clear falsehoods and the harm they’ve caused, Still has refused to condemn these ads,” Ramaswami said. “When asked in an interview with NDTV, he declined to disavow them, which says everything about his campaign’s ethics.”
Ramaswami further revealed that Still’s campaign had hired a private investigator to spy on his communications. “Shawn Still admitted to hiring someone to infiltrate my campaign,” he said, calling it an “unethical” tactic aimed at undermining trust and transparency.
Ramaswami called for accountability from his opponent, urging Still to “issue a public apology and retract these racist, misleading ads.” He said that the attack ads were part of a larger pattern of fear-mongering and racial division that should not be tolerated. “This isn’t just about me—it’s about the kind of state we want to live in. We cannot allow fear and racism to dictate our political discourse.”
He also urged the public to focus on the real issues affecting Georgia, such as healthcare, gun violence in schools, and the extreme abortion ban. “While my opponent is busy spreading lies about me, he’s staying silent on the real challenges facing Georgians today,” Ramaswami said. “We need leadership that’s focused on solving problems, not tearing people down.”
Ramaswami confirmed that he had reported the death threats to law enforcement, noting that the rhetoric in the attack ads could lead to dangerous situations. “I’ve reported the threats to law enforcement because my family’s safety comes first,” Ramaswami said. “We’ve already seen how hate-filled rhetoric can escalate into violence, and this cannot be allowed to continue.”
He also called for legislative measures to prevent similar smear campaigns in the future. “We need greater transparency in political advertising,” Ramaswami argued.
During the press conference, Ramaswami said he had received bipartisan support in light of the attack ads. “I’ve heard from Republicans and Independents who are horrified by the racist nature of these ads,” he said. “Fighting racism isn’t a partisan issue—it’s a human one.”
Ramaswami reaffirmed his commitment to running an issue-based campaign. “I will continue to focus on the issues that matter to Georgians—healthcare, education, and safety,” he said. “My opponent may rely on fear and lies, but I believe voters see through that, and they want leaders who will work to make a difference.”
NRI Pulse has reached out to Senator Still for a response to the accusations made by Ramaswami. As of the time of writing, Still has not responded to our request. We will update this report should any response be provided.