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". Kemp and Perdue are also close political allies, and Kemp recently replaced four members on the board before the vote. He served two terms,. So tell us, what does the job of chancellor of Georgia universities and colleges entail? Am I being naive to think that that that would be the case? The watchdogs question whether the sale of AGrowStar and Pro Ag Products was enough to quash all potential conflicts. 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. Steve Fennessy: Yeah. Gov. He had even served as the 81st Governor of Georgia, and his tenure was from 2003 to 2011. USDA said the reorganization of Perdues finances was cleared by career ethics staff, pointing to the secretarys 2019 financial disclosure that was signed by ethics officials. 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. Why isn't he going back to his farm? Saeger, of Accountable.US, said the inspector general still needs to review that claim. Since joining the Trump administration, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue's complicated network of ties to Georgia-based entities including his family's company, Perdue Partners raised questions about potential conflicts of interest as well as his working relationship with his cousin, Georgia Sen. David Perdue. The North American Vexillological Association had deemed it the ugliest U.S. state flag. So without that accreditation, it could severely impact, you know, enrollment. Inexpensive, too! Revoking accreditation to schools including the University of Georgia, Fort Valley State and Georgia Southern would be a monumental step. Earlier this week, Georgia's Board of Regents announced that Sonny Perdue was the sole finalist for the job. Sonny Perdue faces ethics questions over his business holdings So I think there is some concern out there among some of them. [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. Steve Fennessy: Well, there was also some changes that happened on the board itself, right? Monsters of 2020: Sonny Perdue - Mother Jones Let's go into November and be against Stacey Abrams together.". 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. The office directed the USDA chief to reimburse the government for travel expenses and other costs of the event. Perdue announced the final relocation site in a letter that was distributed to employees Thursday morning. The reallocation entailed raising the companys holdings of highly valuable wetlands credits while lowering its portion of much cheaper stream credits. United States, Copyright 2023, Georgia Public Broadcasting. Sonny Perdue Named Chancellor of the University System of Georgia - USG 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. 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. But you know, we are hearing, you know, some of the newer members could be a lot more supportive of Sonny Perdue. 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. The first two companies are managed by Perdues children, according to Georgia records. 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. His anti-immigrant machinations worked all too well, creating a crippling labor shortage for Georgias immigrant-dependent farms and poultry slaughterhouses. And so there are some ways to Sonny Perdue can help the university system of Georgia. Many credit Pierre Howard for helping Perdue build the early foundation of what would become his future political career.[20]. The terms of two of those members expired at the beginning of January, and Gov. 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. 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. "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. [News tape] WSB: As governor, Perdue's record on education is also being called into question. [3], In 2006, Perdue was re-elected to a second term in the 2006 Georgia gubernatorial election, winning nearly 58% of the vote. Steve Fennessy: This has been percolating for a while now, Eric: this this idea of Sonny Perdue as the next chancellor of the University of Georgia system. [News tape] WSB: He called being named a finalist a quote wonderful capstone to a career in public service. Later, FALF Management Trust was created. Eric Stirgus: Well, he didn't go into specifics that day. His name is Sonny Perdue. The Georgia Public Library Service and the Georgia Archives . You know, I've worked with him, but you know, I just didn't feel like, you know, he was the best person for the job. White House Seeks To Lower Farmworker Pay To Help Agriculture - NPR At least he is out of the gate. [21] He became the first Republican governor of Georgia in 131 years since Benjamin F. You know, he's a strong conservative, you know, and he's David Perdue's cousin. [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. Brian Kemp is not. Yes. 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. Sonny Perdue had campaigned on his cousins behalf during David Perdues 2020 re-election campaign, which he narrowly lost to Senator Jon Ossoff. 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. 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. Steve Fennessy: What form has that opposition taken on college campuses or in academic circles? Who is David Perdue? 8 things to know about the Georgia senator 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. Eric Stirgus: For now, we have not heard any discussion about, you know, where Sonny Perdue will ultimately fall on the governor's race. 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. [News tape] parent at recent school board meeting, 11Alive: "This isn't critical race theory. Earlier this week, Georgia's Board of Regents announced that Sonny Perdue was the sole finalist for the job. The board cited Perdue's, quote, "vast understanding of the issues facing the university system," unquote. [News tape] 11Alive: He tweeted, "Brian Kemp is running for governor of the Great State of Georgia. Brian Kemp: That's why I'm looking forward to working with the members of the General Assembly this legislative session to protect our students from the divisive ideologies like critical race theory. Eric Stirgus: Correct. Eric Stirgus: You know, he's never spoken publicly about it. [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]. Why is accreditation important for a university system like Georgia's? Steve Fennessy: As you said, Sonny Perdue persuaded Donald Trump when he was president to endorse Brian Kemp. 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? 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. However, Perdue was faced with a Democratic House that would not allow the 1956 flag to be included in the referendum, due to its Confederate origins, and he needed support for a tobacco tax he wanted to pass to raise revenue. 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. Perdues response? 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. "There is one thing we know for sure: Sen. David Perdue will be . 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. Charles S. Bullock, III, The Georgia Political Almanac, The General Assembly 199394. [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: The governor appoints the regents on the Board of Regents; there's 19 of them. [9], Perdue was born in Perry, Georgia, the son of Ophie Viola (Holt), a teacher, and George Ervin Perdue Jr., a farmer. Lance Cheung/USDA; Mother Jones Illustration. Perdue is a cousin to Trump Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. That relationship famously has gone has gone south. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms shocked manyby announcing last week she will not be running for reelection. These emergency benefits represent a 40% increase in . This week on Georgia Today, we look at some issues Bottoms faced during her tenure as mayor with CNN national correspondentRyan Young. Steve Fennessy: Sonny Perdue is a Republican, so when he uses an expression like Cultural Revolution, what is he referring to? Why is there 19? 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. 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 watchdog groups are now seeking information about whether Perdue was involved in a decision by the Army Corps of Engineers which works with USDA on some wetlands restoration efforts to reallocate Soque River Conservations credits in a way that significantly increased their value. The sole vote against him came from Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). The FALF Management Trust had no conflicting assets with his duties as Secretary of Agriculture, and therefore the Secretary could become a trustee of the trust. 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. [58][59], Under Perdue, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) was accused of suppressing scientific publications for political reasons. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The Perdue USDA also insisted that federally funded grocery boxes distributed by food banks contain a letter signed by Trump, touting the administrations coronavirus response. Secretary Perdue complied with his ethics agreement and followed the advice of ethics officers at USDA when he restructured the Perdue Family Revocable Management Trust into a new family management trust, in which the secretary and his wife had no ownership interest and were not trustees, the spokesperson said in a statement. Kemp. So those are some of the things that have concerned a lot of state leaders or particularly on the Republican side. You know, he also backed Brian Kemp to fill the position of Secretary of State. 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. You know, he was brought on actually, you know, during Sonny Perdue's tenure to take on the job. [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. [61][62], In February 2020, Perdue endorsed putting a price on carbon dioxide, a climate change policy favored by many economists. [51], Perdue was the designated survivor on January 30, 2018, for President Trump's first State of the Union address. Steve Fennessy: So there's a school of thought that Gov. [24] During his governorship, Perdue collected at least $25,000 in gifts, including sporting event tickets and airplane flights. Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation. 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. USDA Increases Monthly SNAP Benefits by 40% | USDA 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. Georgia's higher ed system taps acting leader, passing on Sonny Perdue 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." Senator David Perdue (R-GA) abstained, as they are first cousins. [46] The land was adjacent to the 20,000 acres (81km2) Oaky Woods preserve being sold by Weyerhaeuser. [22], Perdue advocated reforms designed to cut waste in government, most notably the sale of surplus vehicles and real estate. Eric Stirgus: Correct. Here to help us make sense of the implications of all this is Eric Stirgis, who covers higher education at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 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? Perdue bids farewell: 'We put American agriculture first' - AgriNews 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. [27] In 2007, Georgia moved up to 46th place. [29] Perdue also created additional opportunities for charter schools and private schools. Employees turn their back on Agriculture secretary over being - CNN Conley. Perdues spokesperson also rejected the watchdog groups request for an investigation as politically motivated. Steve Fennessy: How unusual is it for a letter like that to be written? [12] A 2005 tax bill passed by the Georgia Legislature allowed residents to gain a tax break if they sold a property in Georgia to buy similar property in another state, and made the change retroactive to 2004. 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. "[35], In 2006, Perdue signed a law that gave Georgia "some of the nation's toughest measures against illegal immigrants. 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. Steve Fennessy: So what happened then? Georgias public university system said on Tuesday that former Gov. So, you know, it'll be interesting to see. As governor, Perdue mastered the Trumpian strategy of using know-nothing bigotry as a beard for brazen self-dealing, sometimes involving his own family. Anyone can read what you share. You know, there was a faction of regents members who were not supportive of him at all. Sonny Perdue served two terms as governor of Georgia before being named Agriculture Secretary in the Trump administration. [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. Eric Stirgus: Now, you know, conversely, his supporters say he was a governor of Georgia for eight years. The . Sonny Perdue, of course, was a two-term governor of Georgia, as well as secretary of agriculture under former President Donald Trump. 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. 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.