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. Governor Pierre Howard asking for more responsibilities, and Howard obliged. Both elections are set for Jan. 5, though early voting began on Monday. So let's go into November with me as your nominee.". 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. [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. You know, we reported as soon as we got the copy of the letter. And then also, you know, maybe among some who might be interested in working for the university system. Perdue served in the U.S. Air Force, rising to the rank of captain before his discharge. David Perdue is saying, "I'm the big Trump guy here." [52], During his tenure as Secretary of Agriculture, Perdue focused on helping new farmers get started in agriculture. Eric Stirgus: You know, it's a pretty important job in the state of Georgia. Using the CCC to hand billions to big farmersmajor Trump supporters in 2016 is a signature move of Perdues USDA. Why are we still talking about this, then? after feeling punished under Trump", 'It feels like something out of a bad sci-fi movie', The Trump administration is suppressing climate science, "US agriculture secretary breaks ranks to endorse carbon pricing", "USDA chief violated Hatch Act by advocating for Trump re-election, gov't watchdog says", "USDA's Perdue fined for violating Hatch Act while promoting food boxes", "Perdue rebuked for violating ethics law by boosting Trump's reelection", "The land was worth millions. Georgias public university system said on Tuesday that former Gov. As governor, Perdue mastered the Trumpian strategy of using know-nothing bigotry as a beard for brazen self-dealing, sometimes involving his own family. At the beginning of 2020, Perdue yearned publicly for a way to cut federally mandated wages for migrant farm workers on guest visas. 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. The Board of Regents named Dr. Sonny Perdue the 14th chancellor of the University System of Georgia effective April 1, 2022. Kemp is sort of paying back a favor. In July, as the general election heated up, the department tapped a Depression-era funding mechanism called the Commodity Credit Corporation to come up with $14 billionwithout having to consult Congressto hand to producers of commodities like corn, soybeans and wheat, ostensibly for losses due to the coronavirus. 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.. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has long been President Donald Trumps most effective advocate among rural voters. 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. 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. But last year,. [News tape] FOX5: Critics have questioned Perdue's experience, pointing out his lack of experience in the higher education setting. 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. Steve Fennessy: Sonny Perdue is a Republican, so when he uses an expression like Cultural Revolution, what is he referring to? [21] He became the first Republican governor of Georgia in 131 years since Benjamin F. Monsters of 2020: Sonny Perdue - Mother Jones Sign up to receive GPB Event announcements via Email. The crux of the watchdog complaint comes down to a handful of Perdues businesses the secretary reported as sources of income, at least a half-million dollars, on his 2019 filing. I mean, you know, there is one former member now, Phillip Lehi, who did, you know, say, Hey, I like Sonny Perdue personally. Eric Stirgus: Yes. Steve Fennessy: And when Wrigley said he was going to retire, was there kind of a shortlist floated around of possible successors? Our engineers are Jesse Nighswonger and Jake Cook. Trump-backed Perdue struggles in Republican primary challenge in - CNN [19] After his first year in office, Senator Perdue wrote then Lt. USDA To Implement President Trump's Executive Order On Meat and Poultry Sonny Perdue Sworn in as 31st U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Yes, there is a acting chancellor. Secretary Perdue has visibility into and control over the trusts and their underlying assets, and he continues to benefit from them despite the plain terms of his 2017 ethics agreement, Evers wrote to the inspector general. [46] The land was eventually sold to developers; however, the state was evaluating bidding on the property and keeping it as a reserve. 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. How Trump's Food Box Initiative Overpaid And Underdelivered Can you pitch in a few bucks to help fund Mother Jones' investigative journalism? A low-ball estimate of the value of storage in the grain silos was US$3 million. Watchdog organizations are now calling for the Agriculture Departments inspector general to investigate whether Perdue has run afoul of the ethics agreement he signed as a nominee for the job early in the Trump administration. 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. 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. But is there a way of, like, by appointing by at least advancing the candidacy of Sonny Perdue for chancellor is this a way for Brian Kemp to gain some political points with some Trump voters out there? 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. 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". [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. The policy, according to the American Association of University Professors, is the only one of its kind in the country. Perdue has long been Trumps most effective advocate among rural voters, visiting all 50 states to spread the presidents message and spearheading massive taxpayer aid programs that kept farmers afloat through Trumps trade war and the pandemic. 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. 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. [53] In August 2017, he announced a mentoring program for new farmers. If you value what you get from Mother Jones, please join us with a tax-deductible donation today so we can keep on doing the type of journalism 2023 demands. 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: Yes, definitely. [61][62], In February 2020, Perdue endorsed putting a price on carbon dioxide, a climate change policy favored by many economists. Sonny Perdue had campaigned on his cousins behalf during David Perdues 2020 re-election campaign, which he narrowly lost to Senator Jon Ossoff. Why is Sonny Perdue is such a polarizing figure? 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. 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. [28] In 2008, Georgia moved up again, to 45th place. Sonny Perdue Named Chancellor of the University System of Georgia - USG 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." Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters. 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. Steve Fennessy: Politics makes strange bedfellows. Alec Poitevint, long a pivotal player in the Perdue network, is now backing Kemp over David Perdue. Mitch Daniels of Indiana has led Purdue University since 2012. (Washington, D.C., April 25, 2017) - Sonny Perdue was sworn in as the 31st U.S. Secretary of Agriculture by fellow Georgian and Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Clarence Thomas in a brief ceremony today at the Supreme Court building. And so there are some ways to Sonny Perdue can help the university system of Georgia. 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. Perdue is a kind of an easy-going Southern version of the president he served so zealously. After serving as a member of the Houston County Planning & Zoning Commission in the 1980s, Perdue ran as a Democrat for a seat in the Georgia General Assembly. He later served as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and was named chancellor of the University System of Georgia in 2022.. Background and Education Eric Stirgus: He has some interest in the job because, you know, he realizes the importance of higher education to the state's economy. Perdue is poised within . Why is accreditation important for a university system like Georgia's? 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. Perdue, a former US senator, has so far raised a fraction of what Kemp has in his campaign war chest. This week, officials on the Board of Regents announced Perdue is the sole finalist for the top job of chancellor. [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 referenced the pandemic and the phrase "Cultural Revolution." 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. 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. The first two companies are managed by Perdues children, according to Georgia records. 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. Sonny Perdue plans to stay on amid Trump Cabinet shakeups By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from Mother Jones and our partners. Like Trump, hes a former Democrat who ascended to political power (in Perdues case, Georgia governor) in a stunning upset. The former two-term Georgia governor has kept his cabinet post until the end, maintaining a close relationship with . Here to help us make sense of the implications of all this is Eric Stirgis, who covers higher education at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Now to me, Eric, that sounds like a kind of an implied threat that appointing Sonny Perdue as chancellor could mean that we'd lose accreditation. Then there were the full-on MAGA-bots like Sonny Perdue, the Georgia politician and agribusiness entrepreneur who became agriculture secretary. Feb. 15, 2022 Georgia's public university system said on Tuesday that former Gov. So those are some of the things that have concerned a lot of state leaders or particularly on the Republican side. Mr. Perdue, a graduate of the University of Georgia, said he considered the opportunity to lead the university system, which has more than 340,000 students, as the capstone to a career of public service. Eric Stirgus: Most of them are designated by congressional district. Like Trump, he's a former Democratwho ascended to political power (in Perdue's case, Georgia. Sonny Perdue: Latest News, Top Stories & Analysis - POLITICO [News tape] FOX5: The Board of Regents has made its choice for the state's next chancellor. Sonny Perdue served two terms as the governor of Georgia, from 2003 to 2011. (Washington, D.C., April 28, 2020) - U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue released the following statement after President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order to keep meat and poultry processing facilities open during the COVID-19 national emergency. Georgia regents name Sonny Perdue finalist to lead University System This is diversity and inclusion. It's a little off the beaten path. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms shocked manyby announcing last week she will not be running for reelection. 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. Please consider making a gift today to support this vital public service. [47], Perdue was constitutionally ineligible to seek a third consecutive term as governor in the 2010 Georgia gubernatorial election. 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. 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. The other election pits Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler against the Rev. Sonny Perdue Is Sole Finalist to Lead Georgias Public Universities, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/15/us/sonny-perdue-georgia-chancellor.html. In this 2017 post, I recount some of the port-related shenanigans the cousins Perdue got up to together, including launching a port-reliant export business. [News tape] WSB: After what the board's chairman described as a nationwide search with, quote, "numerous highly qualified candidates," in the end, the board voted to pick Perdue as the sole finalist for the job. George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III[1] (born December 20, 1946) is an American veterinarian, businessman, politician, and university administrator who served as the 31st United States Secretary of Agriculture from 2017 to 2021. [55], In July 2019, Perdue ordered two USDA agenciesthe Economic Research Service (ERS) and the National Institute of Food and Agricultureto move from the USDA's headquarters in Washington, D.C. to the Kansas City metropolitan area. Sonny Perdue - New Georgia Encyclopedia The staff of Mother Jones is highlighting the years heroes and monsters. 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. But then prior to him, you had Errol Davis, who was a utilities company executive and he had no administrative experience in higher education. Perdue, Trump's first and only agriculture secretary, is a notable exception. Eric Stirgus: I think, you know, his critics have a couple of reasons that they're concerned. Brian Kemp is not. [24], In mid-2003, Perdue purchased 101 acres (0.41km2) of land next to his Houston County, Georgia, home. So you've had recently, you know, the Board of Regents members serve seven-year terms. 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? | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo. Steve Fennessy: How Gov. He's a two-term former governor, Secretary of Agriculture. [45], During his governorship, the Georgia State Ethics Commission received thirteen complaints against Perdue. Perdue wrote that "liberals have lost all credibility when it comes to climate science because their arguments have become so ridiculous and so obviously disconnected from reality. I'm Steve Fennessy. Coronavirus-riddled slaughterhouses, in turn, emerged as primary vectors for spreading the pathogen to surrounding communities. [48], During meetings with Georgia state port officials, then-Governor Perdue discussed his family business's use of a terminal, then started a new export company in Savannah soon after leaving office. How is that number arrived at? 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. Perdue is a cousin to Trump Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. Steve Fennessy: Chancellor of the University System of Georgia it's one of the most coveted jobs in higher education. 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. He enjoys flying and, in a 2003 incident, was accused of flying a state helicopter without a license. But her critics have said thatwhat she calls a COVID Crime Wave and her handling of the firing of Atlanta police officer Garrett Rolfe, who shot Rayshard Brooks last summer, made her vulnerable if she had chosen to run. But Perdue is struggling. [14][15], Perdue is not related to the family who owns and operates Perdue Farms (commonly associated with the brand "Perdue Chicken").[16][17]. President Trump is endorsing Brian Kemp's Republican opponent in the primary, David Perdue, to be the next governor. We're a nonprofit (so it's tax-deductible), and reader support makes up about two-thirds of our budget. The terms of two of those members expired at the beginning of January, and Gov. The sole vote against him came from Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). Her name is Theresa McCartney, and she worked under Mr. Wrigley. Sanders: one of the the most fun, engaging, charming, and charismatic people Ive ever been around. Perdue: he has an amazing instinctive ability to make decisions.. Steve Fennessy: Welcome back to Georgia Today. David Perdue is running for governor in Georgia. Here's what to know And I understand that he wasn't the biggest supporter of the idea of Sonny Perdue as chancellor. Mr. Perdues appointment as chancellor would also limit his contributions to the campaign of David Perdue, his cousin and a former senator who is running against Gov. But should it go to a politician? You know, looking at that and he can say that Gov. Steve Fennessy: So how do you get a job to be chancellor? [7] 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. There is no conflict of interest in becoming a trustee of a trust that contains no conflicting interests.. 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. Today, reader support makes up about two-thirds of our budget, allows us to dig deep on stories that matter, and lets us keep our reporting free for everyone. [64][65][66], In June 2021, a news story broke of financial dealings Perdue had after his nomination as Secretary of Agriculture but before his confirmation. I give him my full and total endorsement.". Sonny Perdue, aka George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III, is known to be a veterinarian, businessman, and politician of the United States of America. [42] The floods resulted in Perdue declaring a state of emergency in 17 counties. 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. Your support makes this possible. 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. And then also there has been, through the congressional redistricting process, you know, because of some changes insome of the districts, you know, we've had two additional changes on the regents where two members are now no longer on the board and the governor has replaced another one of those members and all three of the members that he has replaced are people who have been, you know, very supportive of the governor in the past through campaign contributions and other ways. 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. Yes. 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. 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." Kudlow used the opportunity to fluff Trumps economic record. So that's a little strange, isn't it? We noticed you have an ad blocker on. The secretarys numerous and labyrinthine financial interests in agribusiness and land development makes it essential that his ethical commitments be rigorously enforced so as not to create a conflict of interest, Austin Evers, the groups executive director, wrote last week in a letter to the IGs office. Perdue and the department have argued that the move will lower living costs, save . . Personal: Perdue. Sonny Perdue Is Sole Finalist to Lead Georgia's Public Universities Mr. Perdue served two terms as governor from 2003 to 2011, and later became Secretary of Agriculture under President Donald J. Trump. Secretary Perdue did nothing wrong when he complied with his ethics agreement and followed the advice of career ethics officers at USDA (at considerable personal expense) to restructure his trusts.. RELATED: Oversight group isnt reviewing Georgia regents choice of Sonny Perdue. [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. 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. It generated $102,077 in revenue or about 11 cents for every dollar it cost to run the center in years past. [23] Prior to Perdue's becoming governor, no state agency had compiled an inventory of what assets were owned by the state. That's next. 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? [News tape] WSB: In a statement, Perdue said education funding was affected by twin recessions while he was governor. The Board of Regents is expected to confirm Perdue's appointment in the next two weeks. Steve Fennessy: The last full-time permanent chancellor, why did they leave? Georgia Today: Is Mayor Bottoms Paying The Political Cost For A COVID Crime Wave? Latest news, headlines, analysis, photos and videos on Sonny Perdue 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. Citing export losses from Trumps trade war with China, the USDA lavished mainly huge soybean, hog, and cotton farmers with $28 billion in 2018 and 2019more than double the price tag of President Barack Obamas 2009 auto bailout. That decision and the selection of Mr. Perdue are both intrusions on academic freedom, Mr. Boedy, the University of North Georgia professor, said. [8] Perdue served as Secretary of Agriculture throughout Trump's term. Come on board with me. Eric Stirgus: Now, you know, conversely, his supporters say he was a governor of Georgia for eight years. 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?