Atlantic Cities criminal justice reporter Mike Riggs is switching teams.
As in, he’s going to work for the Families Against Mandatory Minimums as the foundation’s new director of communications. They released a statement Tuesday.
Is he on psychedelic mushrooms? In the release, Riggs explains why he’s leaving journalism.
“When I decided to leave journalism for a more active role in the reform movement, it made sense to join up with people I knew had their shoulders to the wheel,” he said. “The ball is finally moving on sentencing reform, and no one has been pushing harder, for longer, than FAMM.”
The non-profit org seems pretty happy about his decision. “We’re thrilled to add Mike to our team,” said FAMM President Julie Stewart in the statement. “He’s passionate about our work and he knows how to tell a story.”
Riggs’ new responsibilities will be as follows: Create content, build relationships with journalists and pundits, and formulate FAMM’s editorial and communications strategy as the organization pushes for much-needed changes to sentencing policy at the 
state and federal level.
Claim to fame moments: Calling WaPo‘s Erik Wemple a “motherfucker” when he thought he was out of earshot. Another is from 2010 when he did some drugs (psychedelic mushrooms) and landed in one of my FishbowlDC posts. At the time he explained, he had to chew gum because his breath smelled like cow shit.
The release says Riggs previously worked at Reason Magazine and the Washington City Paper. It says he has written about criminal justice policy for The Nation, The Weekly Standard, and The New Republic. He is a graduate of Stetson University in DeLand, Fla. He also, however, worked for The Daily Caller, which someone somehow left off the list. While at The Daily Caller he was firmly on the marijuana policy beat.
Congratulations to Riggs on his new job!