Very few Republican elected officials, operatives, donors and activists in Georgia have. Eric Stirgus: Yes, Sonny Perdue backed Kemp's state Senate bid in 2002. Yes. Steve Fennessy: Well, let's unpack a little bit more this rather awkward political relationship going on. Sonny Perdue, aka George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III, is known to be a veterinarian, businessman, and politician of the United States of America. Mr. Perdue served two terms as governor from 2003 to 2011, and later became Secretary of Agriculture under President Donald J. Trump. This is diversity and inclusion. Sonny Perdue plans to stay on amid Trump Cabinet shakeups This week, officials on the Board of Regents announced Perdue is the sole finalist for the top job of chancellor. [27] In 2007, Georgia moved up to 46th place. In April, before the Board of Regents selected Mr. Perdue, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges sent it a warning letter stating that the appointment of a former governor could place the accreditation of the institution(s) they govern in jeopardy.. Born George Ervin Perdue III, Perdue has been known as Sonny since childhood, and prefers to be called by that name; he was sworn in and signs official documents as "Sonny Perdue". His committee assignments included Ethics, Finance & Public Utilities, Health & Human Services, Reapportionment, and Economic Development, Tourism & Cultural Affairs. [67], Perdue and his wife, Mary (ne Ruff), were married in 1972 after dating for four years. The property (in Estill, South Carolina) had originally been purchased by ADM for 5.5 million dollars, and independent assessments and government tax assessors agree on that as a fair range; however, AGrowStar was offered the property for US$250,000, a fraction of its value. Steve Fennessy: So that's not something you can just push aside because you don't like what one of their family members is doing. Perdue is poised within . What's the implication there? Jess Mador is our producer. Sonny Perdue's . [23], In January 2003, Perdue signed an executive order prohibiting himself and all other state employees from receiving any gift worth more than $25. Steve Fennessy: OK, Sonny Perdue is, I think he's 75. In 2018, while Perdue was secretary, Soque River Conservation asked the Army Corps to modify the credits held by the company in a way that could boost its value by nearly $3 million, the groups estimate. Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer Eric Stirgus: The chancellor is sort of the person who makes sure all the trains run on time, so to speak. DECATUR The Washington Post on Tuesday published a story that Archer Daniels Midland Co. sold a grain storage plant valued at millions of dollars to Sonny Perdue for $250,000 weeks after he . Subsequently, the trust sold off AGrowStar LLC and Pro Ag Products LLC (none of the other assets posed any conflict of interest with his duties as Secretary of Agriculture). So I think there is some concern out there among some of them. The COVID-19 crisis served as yet another opportunity to promote the political fortunes of his boss, without impeding his pursuit of a pro-agribusiness, anti-worker agenda. This is Georgia Today. So Sonny Perdue is very much in the good graces of Donald Trump. Therefore the new trust Perdue listed on his 2019 financial disclosure, identifying himself as a co-trustee, poses no conflict of interest or violation of his ethics commitments, the spokesperson said. You know, it's kind of a fascinating situation that, you know, your cousin is running for governor and at the same time his political opponent could be putting you in charge of one of the most important positions in state government. Not satisfied with fighting to take food off the tables of poor families, Perdue also set his sights on farm workers. He served two terms,. [51], Perdue was the designated survivor on January 30, 2018, for President Trump's first State of the Union address. Georgia's higher ed system taps acting leader, passing on Sonny Perdue Georgia Today: How Sonny Perdue's ascent to chancellor went from [67], Perdue's assets during his time as Secretary were placed in blind trusts, as is common to prevent financial conflicts of interest. Earlier this week, Georgia's Board of Regents announced that Sonny Perdue was the sole finalist for the job. He praised the tax cuts and the program of deregulation, which, he claimed, benefitted the people who needed it most, those in the middle, and the lower rungs. Its little wonder that Trump would train his benevolence on the little people, because hes a blue-collar guy who worked for years in the construction yards, with all kinds of folks, all colors, Kudlow informed Perdues listeners. The harangue, which ended with the ag secretary leading a chant of four more years, earned Perdue a knuckle-rap from the Office of Special Counsel for violating the Hatch Act, which forbids government employees from campaigning while on the job. He was the first Republican chosen by Georgians to occupy the governor's mansion since the Reconstruction-era election of Rufus Bullock in 1868. Steve Fennessy: Matthew Boedy, a University of North Georgia professor and president of the Georgia conference of the American Association of University Professors, told the New York Times that, quote, "a chancellor's job is to defend the system against such bills. Steve Fennessy: So what happened then? Eric Stirgus: Correct. . Personal: Perdue. His Democratic opponent was Lieutenant Governor Mark Taylor. [News tape] FOX5: Students against Sonny have collected more than a thousand signatures on a petition on Change.org. [68] They have four children (Leigh, Lara, Jim, and Dan),[68] 14 grandchildren (six boys and eight girls), and have also been foster parents for many children. But you know, obviously, you know, there's been a lot of talk recently about issues like critical race theory. [44], Upon the end of Perdue's term as governor, many in the Georgia General Assembly condemned the project and Perdue after an advisory council (appointed by Perdue) began to funnel additional bond money to the project located in his home county. You know, there was a faction of regents members who were not supportive of him at all. Sonny Perdue served two terms as the governor of Georgia, from 2003 to 2011. Later, FALF Management Trust was created. The credits are meant to offset the environmental impact of land development and they can be bought and sold on the marketplace. Each of those firms is owned by Perdue Business Holdings Inc., and Secretary Perdues newly created FALF Management Trust of which the secretary is a co-trustee owns 100 percent of the voting stock in Perdue Business Holdings, according to his 2019 disclosure. Monsters of 2020: Sonny Perdue - Mother Jones (David Perdue is now locked in a tight runoff election that could decide which party controls the Senate in the next Congress.). 11/08/2018 02:42 PM EST. He's also a fierce advocate for Sonny Perdue to land the chancellor job, saying his experience . Not that Perdue lacks national stature - he was the governor of Georgia, a heavily agricultural state, from 2003 to 2011. Georgia Runoff: Perdue-Ossoff Senate Race Heads To Runoff : NPR - NPR.org Perdue is a kind of an easy-going Southern version of the president he served so zealously. Sonny Perdue was its sole finalist to become chancellor, a choice that has outraged some professors and led a regional agency to threaten the accreditation of the 26-school system. Here to help us make sense of the implications of all this is Eric Stirgis, who covers higher education at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Perdue announced the final relocation site in a letter that was distributed to employees Thursday morning. Libertarian Garrett Michael Hayes was also on the ballot. He had even served as the 81st Governor of Georgia, and his tenure was from 2003 to 2011. Has he said, "I'm supporting the guy who's pushing my candidacy for chancellor" or "I'm supporting my cousin who's running against him"? According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "As the vigil ended, the sun shone through what had been a cloudy morning. [14] He defeated Republican candidate Ned Sanders in 1990 and succeeded Democratic incumbent Ed Barker as the senator representing the 18th district. [70], Perdue is an avid sportsman. Brian Kemp thinks so, and it looks like he's getting his way. And you know, for a lot of critics, you know, it did raise their concerns about all of this. of Agriculture", "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 115th Congress 1st Session", "Sonny Perdue Named Chancellor of the University System of Georgia", "Meet David PerdueHe Might Be Georgia's Next Senator", National Governors Association: Sonny Perdue, "Trump taps former Georgia governor for agriculture secretary", "Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue Perdue Farms Plans Major Expansion in Georgia", "Official Results of the November 5, 2002 General Election", "Ethical Lapses Trail Nominee For Agriculture Conflicts of Interest as Governor of Georgia", "3 minutes, 1 tax bill, $100,000 for Sonny Perdue", "Georgia climbs in SAT rankings despite drop in score", "2008 SAT Results Highlight Need for Rigor", "Georgia View: Sonny Perdue's Non-Legacy", "Georgia leaders try to skip controversy in flag vote", "Tom Price, Kasim Reed, Sonny Perdue and the Art of the Georgia Deal", "Statement of Governor Sonny Perdue Regarding Court Ruling to Stay Transition to Reformulated Gasoline", "Georgia Enacts a Tough Law on Immigrants", The Confederate and Neo-Confederate Reader: The "Great Truth", "Trump could name Agriculture Secretary whose drought strategy was to pray for rain", "Yes, There Were Black Confederates. Kudlow used the opportunity to fluff Trumps economic record. The association has publicly condemned how the university system selected Mr. Perdue, a process that largely occurred in meetings without faculty input and closed to the public. He shortly thereafter became a committee chairman, then climbed the leadership ladder to majority leader and to Senate president pro tempore. You know, we reported as soon as we got the copy of the letter. So without that accreditation, it could severely impact, you know, enrollment. The board cited Perdue's, quote, "vast understanding of the issues facing the university system," unquote. [43], Beginning in 2007, Governor Perdue began to pursue the goal of making Georgia the "bass-fishing tourism mecca". [60] In August 2019, Lewis Ziska, a USDA plant physiology climate scientist, quit after department administrators attempted to impede the publication of one of his studies in the journal Science Advances. [24] During his governorship, Perdue collected at least $25,000 in gifts, including sporting event tickets and airplane flights. Not surprisingly, the news has dismayed many, both inside and outside of academic circles, who worry that Sonny Perdue is conservative politics will set the university system on a dangerous course and even put the system's accreditation at risk. The state's Board of Regents on Wednesday named a veteran finance official as the acting chancellor of Georgia's public university system, stalling former Gov. So those are some of the things that have concerned a lot of state leaders or particularly on the Republican side. Steve Fennessy: The governor appoints the regents on the Board of Regents; there's 19 of them. Eric Stirgus: Publicly, I don't think he's said one way or another right now. There are probably about 48,000 employees in the university system, and they range from professors, assistant professors, you know, associate professors, guest lecturers, you know, everything from electricians to people who work in the cafeterias. [34] In a 2014 editorial published by National Review, Perdue criticized attempts by "some on the left or in the mainstream media" to connect climate change to weather events. There may be that short list that some of these members of the Board of Regents have, but they're not allowed to discuss it publicly. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, it was a plum post for the political novice, which he used as a springboard that helped propel him to a US Senate seat in 2014. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources figures showed 21,101 people visited the Perry facility in fiscal 2015, which ended June 30. Eric Stirgus: I think you would have many people who would say that it is a political decision or that the board members themselves have, you know, some say depending on their own personal politics. Steve Fennessy: When did we first hear that Sonny Perdue who was the outgoing Secretary of Agriculture in the Trump administration, of course a two-term former governor of Georgia was interested in the job of chancellor? Sonny Perdue on Confirmation to Lead Dept. White House Seeks To Lower Farmworker Pay To Help Agriculture - NPR [12], In education, Perdue promoted the return of most decision-making to the local level. [18], Perdue was elected as a Democrat in 1991, 1994, and 1996. Now the nonprofit American Oversight is asking USDAs inspector general to review the new structure of Perdues assets and determine whether it violates the commitments he made as a nominee for the job in 2017. Some would say the most important job is, you know, making sure that money that comes from the state is sent to the schools and is being spent properly. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms shocked manyby announcing last week she will not be running for reelection. Although it returned to last place in 2005,[26] Georgia rose to 49th place in 2006 in the combined math and reading mean score, including the writing portion added to the test that year. Similarly, while the pandemic savaged meatpacking workers, killing at least 563 as of mid-December, the ag department kept on with a trend it had started in 2019: allowing giant poultry companies to speed up their slaughterhouse kill lines. In 2011, he founded Perdue Partners, which facilitated the export of U.S. goods and services. [24], In mid-2003, Perdue purchased 101 acres (0.41km2) of land next to his Houston County, Georgia, home. Steve Fennessy: There's something else going on here. They have to be in charge of making sure that the schools comply with federal education policies and procedures, state education rules and regulations. And so, you know, they point to things like that and they also point to issues, you know, point to things that, you know, hey, other states have hired elected officials and former politicians to lead colleges or universities. I give him my full and total endorsement.". His nomination was transmitted to the U.S. Senate on March 9, 2017. What is it about this job that appeals to him? [News tape] WSB: He called being named a finalist a quote wonderful capstone to a career in public service. USDA Increases Monthly SNAP Benefits by 40% | USDA According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, payments on the Go Fish bonds, approved by Perdue and the General Assembly in 2007, runs through December 2027 with most payments $1 million a year in bond money. Please consider making a gift today to support this vital public service. While it is often especially difficult for members of a governing board who are appointed by the governor or legislative body to remain independent in their work, it is imperative that they do or they place the accreditation of the institution they govern in jeopardy." Brian Kemp is not. You know, there were some complaints that, you know, he was involved in some changes that, you know, made it a little bit more difficult for students to get the HOPE scholarship. Mr. Kemp had received Mr. Trumps endorsement in 2018, but their relationship deteriorated following the Kemp administrations refusal to undermine Georgias presidential election results in 2020. The Perdue USDAs largesse to large-scale farmers and agribusinesses went beyond cutting wages and protective measures for their workers. [11], Perdue played quarterback at Warner Robins High School and was a walk-on at the University of Georgia,[12] where he was also a member of the Beta-Lambda chapter of Kappa Sigma fraternity. [24] The State Ethics Commission ruled against Perdue twice, finding that he had taken improper campaign contributions from donors including SunTrust Banks and that he had improperly used one of his family business's airplanes on the campaign, for which the commission fined the sitting governor. [33] Georgia voters chose the flag resembling the Confederate flag. I mean, you know, there is one former member now, Phillip Lehi, who did, you know, say, Hey, I like Sonny Perdue personally. It pays pretty well. Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation. Here's Why", "USGS Release: Atlanta Flooding Sets New Records", "Gov. Steve Fennessy: Eric, you've covered higher education in Georgia for a lot of years. "[45], The project overall has been scrutinized as a waste of taxpayer money due to mismanagement of bond money and extremely low visitors. He was sworn in by Supreme Court associate justice and fellow Georgian Clarence Thomas. Both elections are set for Jan. 5, though early voting began on Monday. Who hires the chancellor? He won his first term in 2014 by fewer than 8 percentage points. Sign up to receive GPB Event announcements via Email. Perdue will begin his duties as the 14th chancellor on April 1, according to a press release from USG. After the sale, the huge boiler on the property was sold for approximately $500,000, easily covering the cost of the purchase even if the rest of the land had been valueless. But then prior to him, you had Errol Davis, who was a utilities company executive and he had no administrative experience in higher education. Like Trump, he's a former Democratwho ascended to political power (in Perdue's case, Georgia. Last month, the U.S. State Department said it will start processing more applicants seeking H-2A temporary. President Trump is endorsing Brian Kemp's Republican opponent in the primary, David Perdue, to be the next governor. I'm Steve Fennessy. [58][59], Under Perdue, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) was accused of suppressing scientific publications for political reasons. Perdue made his acting debut in "We Are Marshall," a 2006 film about the 1970 plane crash that claimed the lives of 75 Marshall University football players, coaches, supporters and staff.. Senator David Perdue (R-GA) abstained, as they are first cousins. [News tape] WSB: As governor, Perdue's record on education is also being called into question. The Board of Regents announced that the former Republican governor is its choice to become chancellor. This is Georgia Today. Brian Kemp in Mays Republican primary. Kemp and Perdue are also close political allies, and Kemp recently replaced four members on the board before the vote. Trump Cabinet Member Sonny Perdue Appears To Acknowledge - HuffPost I cant imagine Sonny Perdue doing that.. The design of the 2001 Georgian flag was widely unpopular, being derisively named the "Barnes flag". Senate Republicans aghast at Perdue's false election claims in - CNN SteveFennessyis host of Georgia Today,a weekly radio show and podcast on Georgia Public Broadcasting thatexplains stories of interest to Georgians through the experience and perspective of the reporters covering those stories. Steve Fennessy: So I'm guessing that maybe he wants to stay out of this altogether, or do we know if he is going to make any kind of public statement endorsing one way or the other? Perdue and the department have argued that the move will lower living costs, save . Meanwhile, in 2020, the pandemic ravaged meatpacking workers and put millions out of work, causing a surge in the need for food assistanceboth very much areas of concern for the agriculture department. Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox. Eric Stirgus: I think, you know, his critics have a couple of reasons that they're concerned. Sonny Perdue Sworn in as 31st U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Senator David Perdue by their grandfather George Ervin Perdue I. USDA To Implement President Trump's Executive Order On Meat and Poultry [7] His appointment was approved by an 8711 vote by the Senate on April 24. Sonny Perdue, of course, was a two-term governor of Georgia, as well as secretary of agriculture under former President Donald Trump. [13], In 1971, Perdue earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, and worked as a veterinarian before becoming a small business owner, eventually starting three small businesses. Steve Fennessy: So how do you get a job to be chancellor? And so there are some ways to Sonny Perdue can help the university system of Georgia. [News tape] 11Alive: This is where angry parents are accusing the school board of trying to indoctrinate students with controversial curriculum on race and American history. Sonny Perdue - Wikipedia [52], During his tenure as Secretary of Agriculture, Perdue focused on helping new farmers get started in agriculture. You know, he provided the money for the budget for the university system, and he understands how the system, you know, to a certain degree, you know, how the system works. We've been hearing that Gov. The new law saved Perdue $100,000 in state taxes. On January 18, 2017, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Perdue to be Secretary of Agriculture. Then there were the full-on MAGA-bots like Sonny Perdue, the Georgia politician and agribusiness entrepreneur who became agriculture secretary. [News tape] WSB: Gov. Faster kill lines boost packer profits even as they put already pandemic-stressed workers under greater strain, while also making proper social distancing even more difficult. He was there at the end. Listen on Apple Podcasts. Undeterred by the pandemic-led spike in hunger, Perdue also doubled- and tripled-down on a long-held goal: boosting work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that would eliminate food aid forat least 1.2 million peopleabout a third of them households containing senior citizens, nearly a quarter with children, and 11 percent with a disabled person, according tononpartisan think tank Mathematica. Perdue will not improve the state of education as chancellor - he will only ruin it.. [56] The attrition rate was particularly high in the Resource and Rural Economics Division (90%) and in the Food Economics Division (up to 89%). And then also, I think, you know, there's been some criticism that he's not the best qualified person for the position. The likely appointment of Mr. Perdue, a Republican, comes during a volatile time in Georgia politics, with the State Legislature considering several bills that would ban, or limit, how race and activism are taught in the classroom. The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry overwhelmingly approved his nomination on March 30, with a 191 vote. So we have not had a chancellor at least, a non-interim chancellor for at least seven or eight months, right? [57] Current and former employees of the ERS were strongly critical of the relocation to Kansas City, saying the resulting exodus of scientific and economic talent caused disruption to federal research, especially on climate change and food security. Why isn't he going back to his farm? [News tape] parent at recent school board meeting, 11Alive: "This isn't critical race theory. Atlanta, GA 30318 Sonny Perdue is a rarity: A Trump Cabinet member who went the - ajc Steve Fennessy: It's interesting the the letter was addressed to Sachin Shailendra, who at the time was chair of the Board of Regents, but is one of those members who redistricting kind of pushed out so he's no longer on the Board of Regents. [24], Late in the evening of March 29, 2005, the penultimate day of the legislative session, Representative Larry O'Neal, who also worked part-time as Perdue's personal lawyer, introduced legislation making capital gains tax owed on Georgia land sales deferrable if the income goes to purchase out-of-state land, also, unusually, making the tax break retroactive. She said that this is coming from a place of strength and not weakness. There's been some social media push against him. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Georgia Today is a production of Georgia Public Broadcasting. Critics argued that the deal should be investigated, and speculated that ADM, which spends millions of dollars on lobbying regardless, used the property sale as a bribe for favorable treatment. The office directed the USDA chief to reimburse the government for travel expenses and other costs of the event. Eric Stirgus: Good question. Caught in the middle of a Republican overhaul of education, teachers feel under attack, Senate bill cracks down on local school boards' ability to eject disruptive parents from meetings. Eric Stirgus: You know, and then there have been other instances where, you know, Sonny has supported now-Gov. It's us but for your ears.
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