Steve Fennessy: So he left in June. "There is one thing we know for sure: Sen. David Perdue will be . Georgia Public Radio GPTV, Oversight group isnt reviewing Georgia regents choice of Sonny Perdue. Eric Stirgus: Well, he didn't go into specifics that day. Gov. The former Georgia governor has a background in agriculture. Revoking accreditation to schools including the University of Georgia, Fort Valley State and Georgia Southern would be a monumental step. [25] Perdue signed the legislation into law on April 12, 2005, three days before tax day. I'm Steve Fennessy. The business holdings were a source of concern during his confirmation process, as well as during his time as Georgia governor from 2003-11, when he faced more than a dozen ethics complaints and was found to have funneled illegal amounts of money from his businesses to his campaign in 2002. Then there were the full-on MAGA-bots like Sonny Perdue, the Georgia politician and agribusiness entrepreneur who became agriculture secretary. [45], During his governorship, the Georgia State Ethics Commission received thirteen complaints against Perdue. The Perdue USDAs largesse to large-scale farmers and agribusinesses went beyond cutting wages and protective measures for their workers. [30], In 2001, Democratic governor Roy Barnes replaced the 1956 state flag, which incorporated the battle flag of the Confederacy, and which had been adopted by Georgia largely as a protest against desegregation. 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). Steve Fennessy: Well, there was also some changes that happened on the board itself, right? [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. David Perdue is running for governor in Georgia. Here's what to know [3], In 2004, Perdue sued the Environmental Protection Agency to block environmental regulations on reformulated gasoline. Steve Fennessy: So how do you get a job to be chancellor? Let's go into November and be against Stacey Abrams together.". 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. Steve Fennessy: So what happened then? Sonny Perdue won the 2002 Georgia governor's race, defeating the incumbent, Democrat Roy Barnes, to become the state's first Republican governor since Reconstruction. 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. There is no conflict of interest in becoming a trustee of a trust that contains no conflicting interests.. Like Trump, he's a former Democratwho ascended to political power (in Perdue's case, Georgia. [54] In December 2018, he changed the nutrition standards for school lunches to allow more refined grains, allow milk with added sugar, and increased sodium. And besides the national prominence afforded any state governor, Perdue garnered widespread attention for his actions in 2007 during the worst drought in Georgia's history. [46], In December 2004, Perdue bought $2 million worth of land near Disney World from a developer who he had previously appointed to the state's economic development board. She currently produces the Georgia Today and Battleground: Ballot Box shows. There were so many cabinet members who who left, and then he had to appoint new ones. In the podcasts final episode before the election, released Oct. 29, Perdue hosted another MAGA loyalist, the high-living former Wall Street man and TV personality Larry Kudlow, the non-economist who Trump improbably chose to lead the National Economic Council. [14] He defeated Republican candidate Ned Sanders in 1990 and succeeded Democratic incumbent Ed Barker as the senator representing the 18th district. She said that this is coming from a place of strength and not weakness. Steve Fennessy: Politics makes strange bedfellows. [News tape] WSB: In a statement, Perdue said education funding was affected by twin recessions while he was governor. Trump announced just days before his own inauguration, on Jan. 20, 2017, that. They have to be in charge of making sure that the schools comply with federal education policies and procedures, state education rules and regulations. Sonny Perdue plans to stay on amid Trump Cabinet shakeups Senator David Perdue by their grandfather George Ervin Perdue I. Steve Fennessy: OK, Sonny Perdue is, I think he's 75. Georgia Today: How Sonny Perdue's ascent to chancellor went from Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue pledged in 2017 to separate himself from his multimillion dollar business holdings that could pose conflicts of interest in his public duties. Steve Fennessy: You mentioned that there's a long political history between Sonny Perdue and Brian Kemp. The North American Vexillological Association had deemed it the ugliest U.S. state flag. "The most important activity in which any governing board will be involved in is the selection of the CEO. [News tape] WSB: As governor, Perdue's record on education is also being called into question. Employees turn their back on Agriculture secretary over being - CNN The latest scrutiny stems from Perdues wealth of current and former interests in agriculture, trucking and land development a complex web of trusts, land parcels, holding companies and subsidiaries. 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. So Sonny Perdue is very much in the good graces of Donald Trump. Janet Napolitano of Arizona, a Democrat, later ran the University of California system, and former Gov. Both elections are set for Jan. 5, though early voting began on Monday. [67], Perdue and his wife, Mary (ne Ruff), were married in 1972 after dating for four years. Steve Fennessy: But in the state of Georgia, I would think that, at least of jobs that are sort of in the employ of the state of Georgia, there are few that are more prominent or important than chancellor. Perdues response? 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. How did we find out about that? His committee assignments included Ethics, Finance & Public Utilities, Health & Human Services, Reapportionment, and Economic Development, Tourism & Cultural Affairs. [70], Perdue is an avid sportsman. 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? But you know, we are hearing, you know, some of the newer members could be a lot more supportive of Sonny Perdue. In December 2001, Perdue resigned as state senator and devoted himself entirely to running for the office of Governor of Georgia. June 23, 2021. President Trump is endorsing Brian Kemp's Republican opponent in the primary, David Perdue, to be the next governor. 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. Eric Stirgus: Yes, I think the governor could certainly use this on the campaign trail and, you know, to, you know, David Perdue supporters and say, "Hey, look, you know, I've made Sonny Perdue, chancellor of the university system. 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. Perdue and the department have argued that the move will lower living costs, save . [33] Georgia voters chose the flag resembling the Confederate flag. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "As the vigil ended, the sun shone through what had been a cloudy morning. [22], Perdue advocated reforms designed to cut waste in government, most notably the sale of surplus vehicles and real estate. 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. Eric Stirgus: Publicly, I don't think he's said one way or another right now. The regents hired another firm, and then it put Ms. McCartney as acting chancellor, and so there really hasn't been much movement up until, I guess, the last few weeks. Eric Stirgus: You know, and then there have been other instances where, you know, Sonny has supported now-Gov. Perdue is a cousin to Trump Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. Why is there 19? So let's go into November with me as your nominee.". Steve Fennessy: Welcome back to Georgia Today. Eric Stirgus: I think, you know, there's just some uncertainty among many faculty members about, you know, who will eventually serve in the position and you know what role they may take on, you know, on this, you know, systems operations. 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. 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. The latest scrutiny stems from the agriculture secretary's wealth of current and former interests in agriculture, trucking and land development. Steve Fennessy: So the faction that was opposed or is opposed to the idea of Sonny Perdue as chancellor seems to be getting smaller. A chancellors job is to defend the system against such bills, said Matthew Boedy, a rhetoric and composition professor at the University of North Georgia and the president of the Georgia conference of the American Association of University Professors. Why are we still talking about this, then? Brian Kemp in Mays Republican primary. @SecretarySonny (to use his folksy Twitter handle) stayed the course that characterized his entire time at UDSA. [43], Beginning in 2007, Governor Perdue began to pursue the goal of making Georgia the "bass-fishing tourism mecca". Georgia Runoff: Perdue-Ossoff Senate Race Heads To Runoff : NPR - NPR.org 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. "To me it was a boondoggle because of the amount of money they were spending and the location," said Rep. Alan Powell, R-Hartwell, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. Perdues spokesperson also rejected the watchdog groups request for an investigation as politically motivated. A low-ball estimate of the value of storage in the grain silos was US$3 million. Steve Fennessy: The last full-time permanent chancellor, why did they leave? He would not be the first governor to move into academia: Former Gov. There's been some social media push against him. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources figures showed 21,101 people visited the Perry facility in fiscal 2015, which ended June 30. "You have got to have stuff where there is a lot of traffic. [69] Perdue lives in Bonaire, Georgia. The Board of Regents named Dr. Sonny Perdue the 14th chancellor of the University System of Georgia effective April 1, 2022. Eric Stirgus: Yeah, I mean, and that's the argument that many of Kemp's team has said. He won the 2002 Georgia gubernatorial election, defeating Democratic incumbent Roy Barnes 51% to 46%, with Libertarian candidate Garrett Michael Hayes taking 2% of the vote. At the beginning of 2020, Perdue yearned publicly for a way to cut federally mandated wages for migrant farm workers on guest visas. A former two-term governor of Georgia, George Ervin Perdue III, known throughout his life as Sonny, served as Agriculture Secretary from 2017 to 2021. 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? Subscribe today and get a full year of Mother Jones for just $14.95. 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. Steve Fennessy: As you said, Sonny Perdue persuaded Donald Trump when he was president to endorse Brian Kemp. In research shared with POLITICO, Accountable.US alleges that farm policies backed by the secretary could potentially have benefited his own or his familys interests beyond the two agribusinesses that were sold. 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. So tell us, what does the job of chancellor of Georgia universities and colleges entail? A longtime Atlanta-based journalist, he is a former editor-in-chief of Atlanta magazine. He shortly thereafter became a committee chairman, then climbed the leadership ladder to majority leader and to Senate president pro tempore. Sonny Perdue Is Sole Finalist to Lead Georgias Public Universities, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/15/us/sonny-perdue-georgia-chancellor.html. It pays pretty well. A department spokesperson claims the 2017 agreement had to refer to the holding company at large, rather than those two firms in particular, because it was the legal entity that owned the businesses. We noticed you have an ad blocker on. He was confirmed by the Senate on April 24,[49] with Bernie Sanders and nine Democrats voting against him. [23], In January 2003, Perdue signed an executive order prohibiting himself and all other state employees from receiving any gift worth more than $25. And you know, in saying, you know, this is why we, you know, we are concerned about Sonny Perdue becoming chancellor. 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. This is Georgia Today. Eric Stirgus: Georgia's top elected officials constantly talk about, you know, we need workers who are college and career ready, people who can just step into jobs. What Is Sonny Perdue Doing Now? - Vim Buzz Raphael Warnock. Perdue, a former US senator, has so far raised a fraction of what Kemp has in his campaign war chest. I give him my full and total endorsement.". A Big Ag corporation sold it to Sonny Perdue's company for $250,000", "Agriculture secretary pick Perdue led big political change in Georgia", "Official: Perdue flew copter without license", "Governor Perdue Makes Acting Debut in "We Are Marshall", Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Administrator of the Small Business Administration, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sonny_Perdue&oldid=1142223043, Democratic Party Georgia (U.S. state) state senators, Republican Party Georgia (U.S. state) state senators, Presidents pro tempore of the Georgia State Senate, Republican Party governors of Georgia (U.S. state), Military personnel from Georgia (U.S. state), Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 05:05. Kemp continues to be grateful for that support, and he feels some, you know, some loyalty, from what we've been hearing from our sources towards Sonny Perdue. The policy, according to the American Association of University Professors, is the only one of its kind in the country. Sonny Perdue's Ties to His Family Business - American Oversight [News tape] FOX5: Critics have questioned Perdue's experience, pointing out his lack of experience in the higher education setting. But Sonny Perdue was there from the beginning. Kemp has used congressional redistricting to add more Sonny Perdue supporters to the Board of Regents. What is that history? Perdue and a partner purchased the agricultural land in 2009 and later earned so-called mitigation bank credits for converting the tract for wetland conservation purposes, according to the watchdog organizations. Mr. Perdue served two terms as governor from 2003 to 2011, and later became Secretary of Agriculture under President Donald J. Trump. Like Trump, hes a former Democrat who ascended to political power (in Perdues case, Georgia governor) in a stunning upset. But should it go to a politician? [7] His appointment was approved by an 8711 vote by the Senate on April 24. The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry overwhelmingly approved his nomination on March 30, with a 191 vote. Steve Fennessy: By definition, you're appointed as a regent by the sitting governor, but appointing and hiring a chancellor is supposedly, at least theoretically, not supposed to be political, right? Brian Kemp is in a fierce battle with David Perdue. 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? 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. Very few Republican elected officials, operatives, donors and activists in Georgia have. 260 14th St. NW Find them all here. Alec Poitevint, long a pivotal player in the Perdue network, is now backing Kemp over David Perdue. 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. Eric Stirgus: Well, there's been a few ways. Georgia Today: Is Mayor Bottoms Paying The Political Cost For A COVID Crime Wave? Higher education is where I wanted to have a real impact as governor, only to be stymied by twin recessions, he said in the board-issued statement. Students and faculty members around the state are reacting to news that Republican former Gov. Why is Sonny Perdue is such a polarizing figure? It is simply unacceptable for people to sneak into this country illegally on Thursday, obtain a government-issued ID on Friday, head for the welfare office on Monday, and cast a vote on Tuesday, he declared, backing up his rancid lies with a crackdown on undocumented people. Report: ADM sold plant to Sonny Perdue weeks after being named Trump ag 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". In his 2002 election campaign, Perdue promised that he would let the state's citizens vote to determine the state flag. Sonny Perdue Age: 75 Birthplace: Perry, Georgia Political History: Georgia state senator, 1991-2002; governor, 2003-2011; U.S. Department of Agriculture secretary, 2017-2021. [News tape] WSB: He called being named a finalist a quote wonderful capstone to a career in public service. 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. It generated $102,077 in revenue or about 11 cents for every dollar it cost to run the center in years past. [24], In mid-2003, Perdue purchased 101 acres (0.41km2) of land next to his Houston County, Georgia, home. 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.. You know, looking at that and he can say that Gov. Eric Stirgus: Correct. [1][10] He grew up and still lives in Bonaire, an unincorporated area between Perry and Warner Robins. [14][15], Perdue is not related to the family who owns and operates Perdue Farms (commonly associated with the brand "Perdue Chicken").[16][17]. I ran because I was frustrated with the government. Sonny Perdue Sworn in as 31st U.S. Secretary of Agriculture The sole vote against him came from Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). Perdue is poised within . I understand that the Board of Regents, at least in its previous iteration, was not necessarily too keen on the idea of Sonny Perdue as the next chancellor, is that correct? Charles S. Bullock, III, The Georgia Political Almanac, The General Assembly 199394. 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. Eric Stirgus: Yes, definitely. Sonny Perdue on Confirmation to Lead Dept. [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. While Perdue puffed up the generosity of his boss, the USDA was busy botching the food-relief effort, awarding fat contracts to distributors ill-equipped to handle them, with the result that some parts of the country got a lot of food, while others got very little, NPR reported. Sonny Perdue had campaigned on his cousins behalf during David Perdues 2020 re-election campaign, which he narrowly lost to Senator Jon Ossoff. His nomination was transmitted to the U.S. Senate on March 9, 2017. His nomination was transmitted to the U.S. Senate on March 9, 2017. Jess Mador is the lead podcast producer at GPB News. Eric Stirgus: The chancellor is hired by the Board of Regents as a 19-member body, and all of those folks are appointed by the governor and so they serve seven-year terms. I'm joined by Eric Stirgus, who covers higher education for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. You know, I guess at the time, they sort of came to an impasse and there was a search firm that was hired to help with the process, but pulled out of the process. 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. [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. Eric Stirgus: Yes. Steve Fennessy: Yeah. Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox. He also has largely avoided the sort of major scandals that have dogged many others in Trumps Cabinet. Steve Fennessy: And when Wrigley said he was going to retire, was there kind of a shortlist floated around of possible successors? [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. We'll be back next week. 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. Georgia Today is a production of Georgia Public Broadcasting. 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. And I understand that he wasn't the biggest supporter of the idea of Sonny Perdue as chancellor. [7] Looking at the pandemic, they've also had to take on some additional responsibilities, such as, you know, managing coronavirus relief funds. The Georgia Board of Regents on Tuesday named former governor and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue as the sole finalist to lead the state's University System. Thanks for listening. You know, Steve Wrigley, you know, he worked in the university system before he became chancellor, so he did have some of that experience. The reallocation entailed raising the companys holdings of highly valuable wetlands credits while lowering its portion of much cheaper stream credits. Lance Cheung/USDA; Mother Jones Illustration. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said today that he did not plan to step down from his Cabinet duties, amid reports that the president is getting ready to make several . Sonny Perdue faces ethics questions over his business holdings [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. 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. [53] In August 2017, he announced a mentoring program for new farmers. Conley. His anti-immigrant machinations worked all too well, creating a crippling labor shortage for Georgias immigrant-dependent farms and poultry slaughterhouses. Donald Trump's agriculture secretary, Sonny Perdue, was confirmed April 24, 2017, and he will have a wide reach in his role. It's a little off the beaten path. Her name is Theresa McCartney, and she worked under Mr. Wrigley. [18], Perdue was elected as a Democrat in 1991, 1994, and 1996. Using the CCC to hand billions to big farmersmajor Trump supporters in 2016 is a signature move of Perdues USDA. Feb. 15, 2022 Georgia's public university system said on Tuesday that former Gov. And then a couple of months later, my colleague Greg Bluestein ran into him at an event and Sonny did say that he was interested in the position, if the regents would have him. Senator David Perdue (R-GA) abstained, as they are first cousins. [72], In 2006, Perdue's financial disclosure forms revealed that he had a net worth of approximately $6 million and received compensation of $700,000 that year.[73]. But ethics questions have piled up in recent months about the secretarys mixing of USDA duties and his political promotion of the president.