[69] Perdue lives in Bonaire, Georgia. Kemp. 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. [29] Perdue also created additional opportunities for charter schools and private schools. Why is there 19? Some farmers ended up destroying perfectly good food. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has long been President Donald Trumps most effective advocate among rural voters. Steve Fennessy: And when Wrigley said he was going to retire, was there kind of a shortlist floated around of possible successors? [22], Perdue advocated reforms designed to cut waste in government, most notably the sale of surplus vehicles and real estate. [7] His appointment was approved by an 8711 vote by the Senate on April 24. Steve Fennessy: Chancellor of the University System of Georgia it's one of the most coveted jobs in higher education. The Perdue USDAs largesse to large-scale farmers and agribusinesses went beyond cutting wages and protective measures for their workers. It's us but for your ears. Eric Stirgus: Most of them are designated by congressional district. 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. Sonny Perdue's . She says a lot of things. Senator David Perdue by their grandfather George Ervin Perdue I. The policy, according to the American Association of University Professors, is the only one of its kind in the country. These emergency benefits represent a 40% increase in . A low-ball estimate of the value of storage in the grain silos was US$3 million. He served two terms,. 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. Then there were the full-on MAGA-bots like Sonny Perdue, the Georgia politician and agribusiness entrepreneur who became agriculture secretary. Jess Mador is the lead podcast producer at GPB News. Steve Fennessy: OK, Sonny Perdue is, I think he's 75. 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. [12], In education, Perdue promoted the return of most decision-making to the local level. So, you know, it'll be interesting to see. Critics argued that the deal should be investigated, and speculated that ADM, which spends millions of dollars on lobbying regardless, used the property sale as a bribe for favorable treatment. [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. 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. [News tape] WSB: Gov. 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. His nomination was transmitted to the U.S. Senate on March 9, 2017. They range from Georgia State University, which has the most students in the system, like about 53,000 students; Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State both of those schools have about 40,000 students each and then University of Georgia. His name is Sonny Perdue. 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. 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. 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. On April 1, 2022, Perdue took over as the system's 14th chancellor. [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. 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. So we have Brian Kemp in this fierce battle against David Perdue primary battle for governor. 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. Brian Kemp: Obviously, this is huge for our campaign. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, it was a plum post for the political novice, which he used as a springboard that helped propel him to a US Senate seat in 2014. The 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. The new law saved Perdue $100,000 in state taxes. 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. At the beginning of 2020, Perdue yearned publicly for a way to cut federally mandated wages for migrant farm workers on guest visas. Eric Stirgus: Publicly, I don't think he's said one way or another right now. [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. Students and faculty members around the state are reacting to news that Republican former Gov. A USDA spokesperson denied Perdue was involved and said holding such land doesnt conflict with his duties as secretary. That's next. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. "The. Yes, there is a acting chancellor. [25] Perdue then used the new law on his 2004 tax return to defer $100,000 in taxable gains from the sale of land. Not satisfied with fighting to take food off the tables of poor families, Perdue also set his sights on farm workers. 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. Sonny Perdue on Confirmation to Lead Dept. 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. [News tape] 11Alive: Critical race theory about whites, blacks and U.S. history, parents saying that CRT is now indoctrinating students disguised in the school system's initiatives on diversity, equity and inclusion. 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. Conley. 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. [23], In January 2003, Perdue signed an executive order prohibiting himself and all other state employees from receiving any gift worth more than $25. The U.S. Senate confirmed Secretary Perdue by a vote of 87-to-11 on Monday evening. Kemp and Perdue are also close political allies, and Kemp recently replaced four members on the board before the vote. Steve Fennessy: Well, let's unpack a little bit more this rather awkward political relationship going on. Steve Fennessy: How big is the university system? [21] He became the first Republican governor of Georgia in 131 years since Benjamin F. 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. Is that right? The harangue, which ended with the ag secretary leading a chant of four more years, earned Perdue a knuckle-rap from the Office of Special Counsel for violating the Hatch Act, which forbids government employees from campaigning while on the job. [23] Prior to Perdue's becoming governor, no state agency had compiled an inventory of what assets were owned by the state. The sole vote against him came from Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). Steve Fennessy: Well, there was also some changes that happened on the board itself, right? [45], During his governorship, the Georgia State Ethics Commission received thirteen complaints against Perdue. Eric Stirgus: Now, you know, conversely, his supporters say he was a governor of Georgia for eight years. 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. It's a little off the beaten path. The USDA's press office rejected CNN's request to interview Ziska, but not Politico's, where he went on to describe the department as internally fearful of Perdue's open skepticism towards climate change, which, according to Ziska, has led officials to "go to extremes to obscure their work to avoid political blowback". Perdue is a kind of an easy-going Southern version of the president he served so zealously. 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. Listen on Apple Podcasts. The Board of Regents named Dr. Sonny Perdue the 14th chancellor of the University System of Georgia effective April 1, 2022. [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. 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. So you have 14 members who serve each congressional district in Georgia, and then there are five at-large positions. There may be that short list that some of these members of the Board of Regents have, but they're not allowed to discuss it publicly. 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. [47], Perdue was constitutionally ineligible to seek a third consecutive term as governor in the 2010 Georgia gubernatorial election. 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.. Subscribe today and get a full year of Mother Jones for just $14.95. 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. But Perdue is struggling. Along with the recent Hatch Act violation, Perdue is facing blowback from Democrats and food banks for requiring all contractors under a $4 billion coronavirus relief program to stuff promotional letters signed by Trump into millions of food boxes delivered to hungry families. Eric Stirgus: There have been some faculty members who have, you know, written letters to the University System of Georgia, you know, stating their opposition. Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation. So you've had recently, you know, the Board of Regents members serve seven-year terms. On December 30, 2016, Perdue's company AGrowStar purchased property and a facility from Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM), a large American agribusiness corporation that the Department of Agriculture regulates. So I think there is some concern out there among some of them. So let's go into November with me as your nominee.". "[45], The project overall has been scrutinized as a waste of taxpayer money due to mismanagement of bond money and extremely low visitors. From the year 2017 to 2021, George has served as the 31st United States Secretary Of Agriculture. 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. The other election pits Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler against the Rev. On January 18, 2017, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Perdue to be Secretary of Agriculture. 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. [1][10] He grew up and still lives in Bonaire, an unincorporated area between Perry and Warner Robins. 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. The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry overwhelmingly approved his nomination on March 30, with a 191 vote. [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. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Earlier this week, Georgia's Board of Regents announced that Sonny Perdue was the sole finalist for the job. [11], Perdue played quarterback at Warner Robins High School and was a walk-on at the University of Georgia,[12] where he was also a member of the Beta-Lambda chapter of Kappa Sigma fraternity. The office directed the USDA chief to reimburse the government for travel expenses and other costs of the event. 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. This week, officials on the Board of Regents announced Perdue is the sole finalist for the top job of chancellor. There were so many cabinet members who who left, and then he had to appoint new ones. You know, Steve Wrigley, you know, he worked in the university system before he became chancellor, so he did have some of that experience. [63], In August 2020, Perdue supported the president's re-election while promoting the Farmers to Families Food Box Program; Perdue was fined for violating the Hatch Act. What's the implication there? He served as his party's leader in the Senate from 1994 to 1997 and as president pro tempore. Personal: Perdue. He would not be the first governor to move into academia: Former Gov. 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. The . [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. Eric Stirgus: Well, he didn't go into specifics that day. [19] After his first year in office, Senator Perdue wrote then Lt. 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. You know, he also backed Brian Kemp to fill the position of Secretary of State. Sign up to receive GPB Event announcements via Email. 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. We've been hearing that Gov. RELATED: Oversight group isnt reviewing Georgia regents choice of Sonny Perdue. Sonny Perdue may soon head up Georgias public university system. 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. Trump announced just days before his own inauguration, on Jan. 20, 2017, that. "There is one thing we know for sure: Sen. David Perdue will be . Other issues addressed by Perdue include assisting rural communities, helping farmers operate with less regulation, increasing exports, passing the 2018 farm bill, and addressing crop damage caused by dicamba. 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". By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from Mother Jones and our partners. Governor Perdue stood out for his impressive experience and leadership in public service as well as a vast understanding not only of Georgia and its communities but of the issues facing the university system as we move forward, Harold Reynolds, the chair of the Board of Regents, said in a statement on Monday. 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. His committee assignments included Ethics, Finance & Public Utilities, Health & Human Services, Reapportionment, and Economic Development, Tourism & Cultural Affairs. [53] In August 2017, he announced a mentoring program for new farmers. [7] Here's Why", "USGS Release: Atlanta Flooding Sets New Records", "Gov. [46] After the state dropped out of the bidding and the land was sold to developers, the value of Perdue's property more than doubled. 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. [News tape] FOX5: Critics have questioned Perdue's experience, pointing out his lack of experience in the higher education setting. [24], In mid-2003, Perdue purchased 101 acres (0.41km2) of land next to his Houston County, Georgia, home. Steve Fennessy: So that's not something you can just push aside because you don't like what one of their family members is doing. Perdue 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. Perdues spokesperson also rejected the watchdog groups request for an investigation as politically motivated. 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? Eric Stirgus: Yes, definitely. Steve Fennessy: So there's a school of thought that Gov. Eric Stirgus: And then there's been issues that a lot of Republican lawmakers have been bringing up to in the Georgia Legislature in recent years about campus speech issues that they feel that, you know, students and groups cannot speak freely on college campuses, particularly conservatives. 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.. Who hires the chancellor? 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. 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. Opponents of the choice say Perdue's appointment would jeopardize academic freedom across the systems 26 campuses. 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. 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. The first two companies are managed by Perdues children, according to Georgia records. A Senate panel backed a bill on Tuesday that would put pressure on local school boards to adhere to the open meetings laws and create barriers to removing disruptive parents from meetings. [51], Perdue was the designated survivor on January 30, 2018, for President Trump's first State of the Union address. [3], In 2004, Perdue sued the Environmental Protection Agency to block environmental regulations on reformulated gasoline. Perdue will begin his duties as the 14th chancellor on April 1, according to a press release from USG. [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]. "[35], In 2006, Perdue signed a law that gave Georgia "some of the nation's toughest measures against illegal immigrants. Mitch Daniels of Indiana has led Purdue University since 2012. Our engineers are Jesse Nighswonger and Jake Cook. 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.. 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. Perdue is one of the original Trump Cabinet appointees who remained by the president throughout the administration. Perdue and the department have argued that the move will lower living costs, save . Eric Stirgus: Good question. 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. Brian Kemp thinks so, and it looks like he's getting his way. Steve Fennessy: Yeah. [8] Perdue served as Secretary of Agriculture throughout Trump's term. Many credit Pierre Howard for helping Perdue build the early foundation of what would become his future political career.[20]. (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. Eric Stirgus: You know, and then there have been other instances where, you know, Sonny has supported now-Gov. Perdue is the first cousin of former U.S. Steve Fennessy: Welcome back to Georgia Today. Like Trump, he's a former Democratwho ascended to political power (in Perdue's case, Georgia. 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. 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.