[67], Perdue's assets during his time as Secretary were placed in blind trusts, as is common to prevent financial conflicts of interest. Eric Stirgus: Yeah it's an important issue because, you know, colleges and universities that do not have accreditation, they can their students cannot get federal financial aid that helps pay for tuition for a lot of college students. [1][10] He grew up and still lives in Bonaire, an unincorporated area between Perry and Warner Robins. Sonny Perdue is cousins with David Perdue, who is now engaged in a bitter primary battle against Brian Kemp Brian Kemp, who, of course, is backing Sonny Perdue. Sonny Perdue, of course, was a two-term governor of Georgia, as well as secretary of agriculture under former President Donald Trump. What is it about this job that appeals to him? He's a two-term former governor, Secretary of Agriculture. [3], In 2004, Perdue sued the Environmental Protection Agency to block environmental regulations on reformulated gasoline. Brian Kemp in Mays Republican primary. President Trump is endorsing Brian Kemp's Republican opponent in the primary, David Perdue, to be the next governor. [24], On January 18, 2017, President Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Perdue to be United States secretary of agriculture. Senator David Perdue by their grandfather George Ervin Perdue I. Perdue, a former US senator, has so far raised a fraction of what Kemp has in his campaign war chest. Perdue claimed a combined $511,800 in income from Perdue Inc., a trucking company; Houston Fertilizer & Grain Co., which manages commercial real estate in Bonaire, Ga.; and StarPort Logistics LLC. Founder and partner in an agricultural trading company,[4] Perdue served from 2012 to 2017 on the Governors' Council of the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C.[3][5] He is the second secretary of agriculture from the Deep South; the first was Mike Espy of Mississippi, who served under President Bill Clinton from January 1993 to December 1994. Eric Stirgus: You know, he's never spoken publicly about it. Mother Jones was founded as a nonprofit in 1976 because we knew corporations and billionaires wouldn't fund the type of hard-hitting journalism we set out to do. Yes, there is a acting chancellor. Raphael Warnock. The watchdogs question whether the sale of AGrowStar and Pro Ag Products was enough to quash all potential conflicts. [25], In 2007, Perdue convinced a skeptical legislature to approve a $19 million fishing tourism program he called Go Fish Georgia. 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. 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. Georgias public university system said on Tuesday that former Gov. He continued his effort to cut their wages, ultimately teaming with the Department of Labor on a rule change that will result in an aggregate wage cut worth at least $170.68 million annually over the next ten yearsa transfer of money from low-wage workers to relatively wealthy farm owners. Launched in October 2019, a week after the House of Representatives announced an impeachment inquiry against Trump, the show began with an appearance from Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Can you pitch in a few bucks to help fund Mother Jones' investigative journalism? I think Steve really was making maybe about a half million dollars when he retired, so that's way more than the governor of Georgia was making. Eric Stirgus: I think, you know, his critics have a couple of reasons that they're concerned. "The most important activity in which any governing board will be involved in is the selection of the CEO. Republican Sen. David Perdue, a former Fortune 500 CEO, will face off against Democrat Jon Ossoff, a 33-year-old media executive, again in a runoff election Jan. 5. Perdue restructured his original family trust into a new fund that he did not oversee, and the fund then sold off two of his businesses directly involved in agriculture the only assets that posed potential conflicts, according to a USDA spokesperson. [News tape] FOX5: The Board of Regents has made its choice for the state's next chancellor. USDAs unprecedented farm subsidies have also fueled criticism that taxpayer dollars are being used to keep farmers and ranchers in Trumps corner ahead of the election especially as the president repeatedly touts the money at campaign rallies as his own personal gift to agriculture. Steve Fennessy: You mentioned that there's a long political history between Sonny Perdue and Brian Kemp. The design of the 2001 Georgian flag was widely unpopular, being derisively named the "Barnes flag". Kemp replaced them with two additional members. Listen on Apple Podcasts. The Washington Post detailed several wish-list items that ADM achieved: loosening of regulations on pork production, fewer inspections, helping lobby against proposed government bans on glyphosate by Thailand and Vietnam, and promoting ethanol and biodiesel. 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. Steve Fennessy: How big is the university system? There's been some social media push against him. Come on board with me. Coronavirus-riddled slaughterhouses, in turn, emerged as primary vectors for spreading the pathogen to surrounding communities. The board cited Perdue's, quote, "vast understanding of the issues facing the university system," unquote. Steve Fennessy: So how do you get a job to be chancellor? [70], Perdue is an avid sportsman. His name is Sonny Perdue. Perdue then decided that the Go Fish Education Center would be built down the road from his home. So that's a little strange, isn't it? [71], In 2006, while still governor, Perdue made a cameo appearance as the coach of the East Carolina Pirates football team in the movie We Are Marshall, large portions of which were filmed in Georgia. He was the only member of the Trump administration to endorse such a plan. Eric Stirgus: During his time as agriculture secretary there was, you know, there's been some criticism about his record, you know, concerning issues such as climate change. Last month, the U.S. State Department said it will start processing more applicants seeking H-2A temporary. The U.S. Senate confirmed Secretary Perdue by a vote of 87-to-11 on Monday evening. Then the pandemic hit, ripping through migrant farm worker communities, who toiled on with little in the way of protective gear or opportunities for social distancing. The new law saved Perdue $100,000 in state taxes. Eric Stirgus: For now, we have not heard any discussion about, you know, where Sonny Perdue will ultimately fall on the governor's race. [50], In September 2017, Politico reported that, according to 42 reviewed resumes, the department hired 22 former Trump campaign workers, many of which had no significant agricultural knowledge or experience with federal policies. "[45], The project overall has been scrutinized as a waste of taxpayer money due to mismanagement of bond money and extremely low visitors. The former two-term Georgia governor has kept his cabinet post until the end, maintaining a close relationship with . Perdue, Trump's first and only agriculture secretary, is a notable exception. But last year, he disclosed he had become trustee of a newly formed fund that includes many of the same assets as his original family trust. Eric Stirgus: His name is Steve Wrigley and he retired. USDA argues that the reorganization Perdue laid out in his 2017 ethics agreement was intended to separate the secretary from two agribusinesses in particular: grain merchandiser AGrowStar LLC and grain marketer Pro Ag Products, both of which were also owned by Perdue Business Holdings before they were sold to outside buyers. I ran because I was frustrated with the government. AGrowStar (including the assets acquired as part of the Estill deal) was sold by Perdue's trusts in 2018 for 12 million dollars, but due to the secretive nature of the trusts, this was not widely disclosed. 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. 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. [31] The choices were a modified version of the First National Flag of the Confederate States of America, with the Georgia State Seal prominently displayed inside a circle of 13 stars, or the flag created in 2001 by the Roy Barnes administration. There is no conflict of interest in becoming a trustee of a trust that contains no conflicting interests.. She currently produces the Georgia Today and Battleground: Ballot Box shows. | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo. Janet Napolitano of Arizona, a Democrat, later ran the University of California system, and former Gov. [53] In August 2017, he announced a mentoring program for new farmers. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Economists in the USDA's research branch were told to include disclaimers in their peer-reviewed publications stating that the findings were "preliminary" and "should not be construed to represent any agency determination or policy". These emergency benefits represent a 40% increase in . Eric Stirgus: Most of them are designated by congressional district. [3], In 2006, Perdue was re-elected to a second term in the 2006 Georgia gubernatorial election, winning nearly 58% of the vote. [2] He previously served as the 81st governor of Georgia from 2003 to 2011; Perdue was the first Republican to hold the office since the Reconstruction era.[3]. Across the state, teachers have found themselves caught in a conservative battle to ban divisive topics from classrooms, which Republican lawmakers define as a various list of ideas regarding race. The department did not provide further documentation that potential conflicts in 2017 were limited to AGrowStar and Pro Ag Products. [24] During his governorship, Perdue collected at least $25,000 in gifts, including sporting event tickets and airplane flights. Steve Fennessy: As you said, Sonny Perdue persuaded Donald Trump when he was president to endorse Brian Kemp. And so there are some ways to Sonny Perdue can help the university system of Georgia. Steve Fennessy: News that Sonny Perdue will, in all likelihood be the university system of Georgia's next chancellor comes at a time when state legislators are debating bills about how racial history should be taught in classrooms. Trump said Friday that he has directed Perdue to provide at least $16 billion in relief. Kemp can use that to the Republican base and say, "Hey, you know, I have one of the most loyal Trump guys you know, and, you know, if I appointed him to a very important position here in state government and we know we've had a long-standing relationship. The policy, according to the American Association of University Professors, is the only one of its kind in the country. 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. Jess Mador is our producer. She said that this is coming from a place of strength and not weakness. The credits are meant to offset the environmental impact of land development and they can be bought and sold on the marketplace. Eric Stirgus: Yeah, I mean, and that's the argument that many of Kemp's team has said. 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. An investigationby the Food and Environment Reporting Networks Leah Douglas found that at least 40 percent of chicken plants operating at the higher speeds experienced COVID outbreaks, versus 14 percent for the overall meat sector. Secretary Perdue was just chastised for his abuse of tax dollars for political purposes by ethics authorities, so we cannot take these claims at face value, he said. Copyright 2023 Mother Jones and the Foundation for National Progress. [News tape] WSB: He called being named a finalist a quote wonderful capstone to a career in public service. Kemp has used congressional redistricting to add more Sonny Perdue supporters to the Board of Regents. I'm Steve Fennessy. Governor Pierre Howard asking for more responsibilities, and Howard obliged. On January 18, 2017, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Perdue to be Secretary of Agriculture. [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. Steve Fennessy: So there's a school of thought that Gov. Steve Fennessy: The last full-time permanent chancellor, why did they leave? 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? Trump announced just days before his own inauguration, on Jan. 20, 2017, that. According to the Georgia government's website on Confederate History Month, they also participated in the manufacture of products for the war effort, built naval ships, and provided military assistance and relief efforts"[38] The proclamation was criticized by historians for its historical inaccuracies,[39] although there were, in fact, African-Americans who served the Confederacy. Entitled President Trumps Affection for American Farmers, the episode featured the host and former White House press secretary competing to see who could lavish the most praise on Trump. When you go this long without having a permanent chancellor on board, what signal does that send or how does that affect the operations of our schools? Sonny Perdue may soon head up Georgias public university system. That's next. What Is Sonny Perdue Doing Now? Perdue is a kind of an easy-going Southern version of the president he served so zealously. Is Sonny Perdue staking out any does he have a dog in this fight, at least publicly? The administration began acquiring bond money for the Go Fish Education Center near his home in Perry, GA. Jess Mador is the lead podcast producer at GPB News. So we have not had a chancellor at least, a non-interim chancellor for at least seven or eight months, right? As governor, Perdue mastered the Trumpian strategy of using know-nothing bigotry as a beard for brazen self-dealing, sometimes involving his own family. He also talked about, you know, bringing stability to the system. [58][59], Under Perdue, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) was accused of suppressing scientific publications for political reasons. 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. [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. 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.. And Sonny Perdue was one of the only, if not the only cabinet member who went the distance in the Donald Trump administration. David Perdue is running against Democrat Jon Ossoff in one of two runoff elections in the state that will determine control of the U.S. Senate in the next Congress. It's called critical race theory, but other parents and some students said that's not what's going on in the classrooms at all. [6] His nomination was approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee by a 19-1 voice vote on March 30. 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. In December 2001, Perdue resigned as state senator and devoted himself entirely to running for the office of Governor of Georgia. Why is there 19? American Oversight and another watchdog group, Accountable.US, claim that violates Perdues 2017 agreement with ethics officials that he would restructure his original family trust and transfer all of its stock in Perdue Business Holdings to a new, irrevocable trust that wouldnt be overseen by or benefit the secretary. Anyone can read what you share. David Perdue now a U.S. senator to . [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. Opponents of the choice say Perdue's appointment would jeopardize academic freedom across the systems 26 campuses. The other election pits Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler against the Rev. Steve Fennessy: Chancellor of the University System of Georgia it's one of the most coveted jobs in higher education. The secretarys 2019 filing also shows nearly $140,000 in income from Soque River Conservation LLC, which holds land along the Soque River in northern Georgia and is held by a separate trust that Perdue first reported last year. By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from Mother Jones and our partners. Kemp and Perdue are also close political allies, and Kemp recently replaced four members on the board before the vote. So we have Brian Kemp in this fierce battle against David Perdue primary battle for governor. Georgia Today is a production of Georgia Public Broadcasting. Steve Fennessy: How Gov. Eric Stirgus: He has some interest in the job because, you know, he realizes the importance of higher education to the state's economy. Steve Fennessy: Initial discussion about the possible candidacy of Sonny Perdue for chancellor for next chancellor of the University of Georgia System, the president of SACS, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Belle Whelan, sends a letter to the chair of the Board of Regents of Georgia. Our engineers are Jesse Nighswonger and Jake Cook. She says a lot of things. Eric Stirgus: You know, and then there have been other instances where, you know, Sonny has supported now-Gov. 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. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources figures showed 21,101 people visited the Perry facility in fiscal 2015, which ended June 30. Looking at the pandemic, they've also had to take on some additional responsibilities, such as, you know, managing coronavirus relief funds. In 2010, at the tail end of his second term as governor, Perdue named his cousin, David Perduewho had just stepped down as chief executive of Dollar General discount storesto the board of the Georgia Ports Authority. On March 1, 2022, the Board of Regents of University System of Georgia appointed Perdue as the system's 14th chancellor, effective April 1, 2022. In his 2002 election campaign, Perdue promised that he would let the state's citizens vote to determine the state flag. So those are some of the things that have concerned a lot of state leaders or particularly on the Republican side. He had even served as the 81st Governor of Georgia, and his tenure was from 2003 to 2011. 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. RELATED: Oversight group isnt reviewing Georgia regents choice of Sonny Perdue. Steve Fennessy: What form has that opposition taken on college campuses or in academic circles? 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. The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry overwhelmingly approved his nomination on March 30, with a 191 vote. [14] He defeated Republican candidate Ned Sanders in 1990 and succeeded Democratic incumbent Ed Barker as the senator representing the 18th district. Eric Stirgus: I think it's been a mix of both. Why is accreditation important for a university system like Georgia's? In 2005, Georgia state Rep. Larry ONealPerdues personal lawyermanaged to pass what the Atlanta Journal-Constitution called a seemingly mundane tax bill thatincluded a a last-minute change that saved the governor an estimated $100,000 in state taxes. Steve Fennessy: When you look at past chancellors in the university system of Georgia, is that a position where the person who gets the job is typically coming from a higher educational background? [9], Perdue was born in Perry, Georgia, the son of Ophie Viola (Holt), a teacher, and George Ervin Perdue Jr., a farmer. Perdue addressed the crowd, saying "We've come together here simply for one reason and one reason only: to very reverently and respectfully pray up a storm" and "God, we need you; we need rain." Using the CCC to hand billions to big farmersmajor Trump supporters in 2016 is a signature move of Perdues USDA. Steve Fennessy: What did you think when you first heard about that? So I think there is some concern out there among some of them. [29] Perdue also created additional opportunities for charter schools and private schools. Steve Fennessy: So the faction that was opposed or is opposed to the idea of Sonny Perdue as chancellor seems to be getting smaller. [21] He became the first Republican governor of Georgia in 131 years since Benjamin F. Ethics authorities have already issued warnings to a dozen Trump administration officials for violating the Hatch Act, but Perdues straightforward appeal to reelect Trump was seen as especially flagrant. [News tape] FOX5: Students against Sonny have collected more than a thousand signatures on a petition on Change.org. In July, with the economic fallout from the pandemic generating a massive hunger crisis, Perdue alighted on North Carolina, a key swing state, to stage a rally promoting congressionally mandated food aid as an example of the personal benevolence of Donald Trump. Purdue merged the voter-fraud myth with another racist fantasy, also fervently indulged by Trump, that undocumented immigrants burden taxpayers by siphoning welfare benefits. publicly condemned how the university system selected Mr. Perdue, will be the first woman to head the institution, a large-scale, low-cost online Master of Science degree program. Sonny Perdue and Brian Kemp have a longstanding relationship politically, and then you have Sonny Perdue's cousin who is running against the governor now in the GOP primary. "The. Atlanta, GA 30318 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. Unquote. The North American Vexillological Association had deemed it the ugliest U.S. state flag. Feb. 15, 2022 Georgia's public university system said on Tuesday that former Gov. Can you pitch in a few bucks to help fund Mother Jones' investigative journalism? Steve Fennessy: And when Wrigley said he was going to retire, was there kind of a shortlist floated around of possible successors? Here's Why", "USGS Release: Atlanta Flooding Sets New Records", "Gov. 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". [12], In education, Perdue promoted the return of most decision-making to the local level. Perdue is one of the original Trump Cabinet appointees who remained by the president throughout the administration. Chris Saeger, a spokesperson for Accountable.US, said the reorganization of Perdues assets from one trust to another appears to be nothing more than a shell game and a maze of technicalities and denials.. Not satisfied with fighting to take food off the tables of poor families, Perdue also set his sights on farm workers. The Board of Regents named Dr. Sonny Perdue the 14th chancellor of the University System of Georgia effective April 1, 2022. This is Georgia Today. June 23, 2021. This is Georgia Today. [News tape] CNN: The former president recruited the former Sen. David Perdue to mount a primary challenge to Gov. They have to be in charge of making sure that the schools comply with federal education policies and procedures, state education rules and regulations. Libertarian Garrett Michael Hayes was also on the ballot. His nomination was transmitted to the U.S. Senate on March 9, 2017. after feeling punished under Trump, "Economists flee Agriculture Dept. You know, he was brought on actually, you know, during Sonny Perdue's tenure to take on the job. "You have got to have stuff where there is a lot of traffic. And I'm curious about why it's elicited such a ferocious response on the side of those who are for the idea, but also those who are against it. [6] His nomination was approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee by a 191 voice vote on March 30. earned Perdue a knuckle-rap from the Office of Special Counsel, publicly for a way to cut federally mandated wages, lavished mainly huge soybean, hog, and cotton farmers, more than double the price tag of President Barack Obamas 2009 auto bailout, join us with a tax-deductible donation today. You know, there was a faction of regents members who were not supportive of him at all. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters. So you have 14 members who serve each congressional district in Georgia, and then there are five at-large positions. At the beginning of 2020, Perdue yearned publicly for a way to cut federally mandated wages for migrant farm workers on guest visas. However, most served in the early years of the war and were either forced at gunpoint or feared reprisals for disloyalty. And I understand that he wasn't the biggest supporter of the idea of Sonny Perdue as chancellor. Perdue and the department have argued that the move will lower living costs, save . And so, you know, I think he was one of those, you know, members who, you know, was part of that faction were against it. Sonny Perdue, of course, was a two-term governor of Georgia, as well as secretary of agriculture under former President Donald Trump. [News tape] FOX5: The choice of Perdue has already drawn criticism from student groups and university professors who describe Perdue as a career politician with no experience in higher education.
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