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A fierce campaign is underway for Atlanta City Council president in Georgia. The two contenders are Rohit Malhotra, a left-wing nonprofit executive, and City Council member Marci Collier Overstreet. A debate in early October exposed the wide gap between Overstreet, who has served for several years on the City Council, and Malhotra, who has been described as “representing the more progressive wing of Atlanta politics.” “Mr. Rohit should really own up to the fact that he wants to defund or abolish the Police Department,” Overstreet said in a brittle exchange during the debate. “The words ‘defund the police’—which I have never said, actually—came after George Floyd was murdered, and people were asking for changes in policing,” Malhotra countered. “What does safety look like without always only talking about policing only. Policing is a part of a comprehensive strategy. It doesn’t have to be the only one, and to create a false binary is not only wrong, it’s dangerous,” the nonprofit executive contended. In August 2023, Malhotra signed onto a letter criticizing the process by which the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center had been constructed. The training center was designed to allow police officers, firefighters, emergency medical services personnels, and E-911 staff to train in a local area, according to the center’s website. “There has also been copious disagreement about where, how, and—frankly—whether it should be built,” a portion of the letter reads. “Supporters and dissenters of these decisions—including Mayor Andre Dickens and several City Council members—agree on one thing: The city of Atlanta’s decision from the outset did not include sufficient, equitable, nor transparent public engagement,” the letter continues. Despite that strong sentiment more than two years ago, Malhotra now appears to have not much to say about where he stands on policing on his campaign website. What little he does say involves advocating for treating “gun violence as a public health crisis: invest in community-based violence interruption, diversion, and conflict mediation,” developing “data-driven metrics so we measure what actually produces safety (not just reactions),” and providing “support for families impacted by violence—mental health, funeral/therapy costs, ongoing local support.” Malhotra also calls for pilot programs “like universal basic income and baby bonds to build generational wealth.” The role Malhotra and Overstreet are seeking is more than just ceremonial. The president of the Atlanta City Council chairs meetings, casts tiebreaking votes, and appoints committee chairmen and members of committees for issues such as public safety and city utilities. He or she also serves as an interim mayor in the event that something happens to the elected mayor. Serving on the City Council can also be a steppingstone for a run for mayor of Atlanta. Malhotra is the founder and executive director—currently on a leave of absence—of the Center for Civic Innovation. The center discusses at length its emphasis on “equity” as a part of its work. “We confront the systemic inequalities that have made Atlanta the most unequal city in the U.S., with an emphasis on race, income, gender, and geography,” the organization explains on its website under a section titled “Our Values.” According to tax filings published by ProPublica, Malhotra was paid $150,000 in fiscal year 2024 by the center and the combined salaries and wages for Malhotra and his staff make up more than 63% of the nonprofit’s total expenses. He previously was an Ash Innovation Fellow in the Obama White House’s Office of Management and Budget. Malhotra went to school in Atlanta at Emory University and received a master’s degree in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. The election will be held on Nov. 4. The Daily Signal reached out to the campaigns of both Overstreet and Malhotra for comment.
