Yet one has held no meetings Author: Doug Richards Updated: 9:08 PM EDT May 6, 2021 ATLANTA — Atlanta’s rising crime rate is getting some predictable attention from politicians – but their ability to actually combat it may be limited, according to one politician who is exiting after twenty years. The city’s homicide and aggravated assault rates rose sharply in 2020 – with data indicating this year could be as bad or worse. In March, Georgia House Speaker Rep. David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) announced in a letter to Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms that the House public safety committee will hold hearings on Atlanta’s crime spike “out of concern for the safety of Atlanta’s residents and visitors.”