Steve Fennessy: So he left in June. 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. Eric Stirgus: His name is Steve Wrigley and he retired. He praised the tax cuts and the program of deregulation, which, he claimed, benefitted the people who needed it most, those in the middle, and the lower rungs. Its little wonder that Trump would train his benevolence on the little people, because hes a blue-collar guy who worked for years in the construction yards, with all kinds of folks, all colors, Kudlow informed Perdues listeners. So without that accreditation, it could severely impact, you know, enrollment. [3], In 2006, Perdue was re-elected to a second term in the 2006 Georgia gubernatorial election, winning nearly 58% of the vote. 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. [14][15], Perdue is not related to the family who owns and operates Perdue Farms (commonly associated with the brand "Perdue Chicken").[16][17]. Dr. Sonny Perdue bio. What is it about this job that appeals to him? 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. 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. 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. 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. She said that this is coming from a place of strength and not weakness. He was sworn in by Supreme Court associate justice and fellow Georgian Clarence Thomas. [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. 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. [1][10] He grew up and still lives in Bonaire, an unincorporated area between Perry and Warner Robins. [19] After his first year in office, Senator Perdue wrote then Lt. [68] They have four children (Leigh, Lara, Jim, and Dan),[68] 14 grandchildren (six boys and eight girls), and have also been foster parents for many children. He spent his 2020 like he spent the other years of his Washington stint: flattering his boss at every opportunity, and lavishing largesse on political allies while undercutting poor people and food-system workers. 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? She currently produces the Georgia Today and Battleground: Ballot Box shows. It generated $102,077 in revenue or about 11 cents for every dollar it cost to run the center in years past. [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. [News tape] WSB: He called being named a finalist a quote wonderful capstone to a career in public service. Republican Sen. David Perdue, a former Fortune 500 CEO, will face off against Democrat Jon Ossoff, a 33-year-old media executive, again in a runoff election Jan. 5. Perdue, Trump's first and only agriculture secretary, is a notable exception. Charles S. Bullock, III, The Georgia Political Almanac, The General Assembly 199394. [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. 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. Governor Pierre Howard asking for more responsibilities, and Howard obliged. [24], On January 18, 2017, President Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Perdue to be United States secretary of agriculture. (Washington, D.C., April 22, 2020) - Today, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced emergency benefit increases have reached $2.0 billion per month for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households across all 50 states and 3 territories to increase food security during the coronavirus national emergency. Undeterred by the pandemic-led spike in hunger, Perdue also doubled- and tripled-down on a long-held goal: boosting work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that would eliminate food aid forat least 1.2 million peopleabout a third of them households containing senior citizens, nearly a quarter with children, and 11 percent with a disabled person, according tononpartisan think tank Mathematica. 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." 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. 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. Eric Stirgus: Now, you know, conversely, his supporters say he was a governor of Georgia for eight years. 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. [57] Current and former employees of the ERS were strongly critical of the relocation to Kansas City, saying the resulting exodus of scientific and economic talent caused disruption to federal research, especially on climate change and food security. Steve Fennessy: You mentioned that there's a long political history between Sonny Perdue and Brian Kemp. 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. Steve Fennessy: Politics makes strange bedfellows. Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, who like Grassley is up for reelection in 2022, said he hasn't "paid a lot of attention" to Georgia's governor race, saying "we got our hands full . The sole vote against him came from Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). There's been some social media push against him. Latest news, headlines, analysis, photos and videos on Sonny Perdue But then prior to him, you had Errol Davis, who was a utilities company executive and he had no administrative experience in higher education. Gov. [23] Prior to Perdue's becoming governor, no state agency had compiled an inventory of what assets were owned by the state. Enlivened by these bald lies, and perhaps feeling a competitive spark, Perdue replied that Trump is the embodiment of the amazing spirit that built this country. He sounded quite satisfied after a year spent campaigning for his boss while inflicting lasting damage to poor people and food-system workers during a deadly pandemic that the administration did so very little to control. Eric Stirgus: No, not officially, you know, because they are personnel decisions that the board makes. [32] Perdue disappointed some Georgians by not making the 1956 flag one of the choices on the ballot, despite a campaign promise to do so. 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. 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. A USDA spokesperson denied Perdue was involved and said holding such land doesnt conflict with his duties as secretary. Steve Fennessy: Yeah. RELATED: Oversight group isnt reviewing Georgia regents choice of Sonny Perdue. 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. Here to help us make sense of the implications of all this is Eric Stirgis, who covers higher education at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. This is diversity and inclusion. Perdue will begin his duties as the 14th chancellor on April 1, according to a press release from USG. She says a lot of things. Sonny Perdue has long mixed personal and political business to benefit his friends and business associates and he's on track to do it again. 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. What does it mean to be a chancellor? Inexpensive, too! 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. [46] The land was adjacent to the 20,000 acres (81km2) Oaky Woods preserve being sold by Weyerhaeuser. This is Georgia Today. Many credit Pierre Howard for helping Perdue build the early foundation of what would become his future political career.[20]. The Board of Regents is expected to confirm Perdue's appointment in the next two weeks. He was the only member of the Trump administration to endorse such a plan. Perdue restructured his original family trust into a new fund that he did not oversee, and the fund then sold off two of his businesses directly involved in agriculture the only assets that posed potential conflicts, according to a USDA spokesperson. 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. [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. Raphael Warnock. 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. [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. The . He also won reelection in 2000. He was the first Republican chosen by Georgians to occupy the governor's mansion since the Reconstruction-era election of Rufus Bullock in 1868. Steve Fennessy: OK, Sonny Perdue is, I think he's 75. The reallocation entailed raising the companys holdings of highly valuable wetlands credits while lowering its portion of much cheaper stream credits. "You have got to have stuff where there is a lot of traffic. Find them all here. In December 2001, Perdue resigned as state senator and devoted himself entirely to running for the office of Governor of Georgia. But should it go to a politician? Perdue is a kind of an easy-going Southern version of the president he served so zealously. [12], In education, Perdue promoted the return of most decision-making to the local level. 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. 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. 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.. . As governor, Perdue mastered the Trumpian strategy of using know-nothing bigotry as a beard for brazen self-dealing, sometimes involving his own family. He also has largely avoided the sort of major scandals that have dogged many others in Trumps Cabinet. 11/08/2018 02:42 PM EST. You know, he's a strong conservative, you know, and he's David Perdue's cousin. One is looking at his record, as you know, the governor of Georgia. Eric Stirgus: Correct. The design of the 2001 Georgian flag was widely unpopular, being derisively named the "Barnes flag". Perdue is poised within . 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. [6] His nomination was approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee by a 19-1 voice vote on March 30. The Perdue USDAs largesse to large-scale farmers and agribusinesses went beyond cutting wages and protective measures for their workers. Sonny Perdue, of course, was a two-term governor of Georgia, as well as secretary of agriculture under former President Donald Trump. 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. Alec Poitevint, long a pivotal player in the Perdue network, is now backing Kemp over David Perdue. In his 2002 election campaign, Perdue promised that he would let the state's citizens vote to determine the state flag. So those are some of the things that have concerned a lot of state leaders or particularly on the Republican side. 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. Very few Republican elected officials, operatives, donors and activists in Georgia have. Brian Kemp in Mays Republican primary. 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. Steve Fennessy: What did you think when you first heard about that? 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. Brian Kemp thinks so, and it looks like he's getting his way. So let's go into November with me as your nominee.". United States, Copyright 2023, Georgia Public Broadcasting. [46] The land was eventually sold to developers; however, the state was evaluating bidding on the property and keeping it as a reserve. It is no surprise that these made up accusations are coming out in the final weeks of October. Eric Stirgus: Last March, we started hearing talk you know that Perdue was interested in the job or that some board members on the Board of Regents were interested in him becoming chancellor. Subscribe today and get a full year of Mother Jones for just $14.95. Earlier this week, Georgia's Board of Regents announced that Sonny Perdue was the sole finalist for the job. But Perdue is struggling. 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? Yes, there is a acting chancellor. [News tape] FOX5: Students against Sonny have collected more than a thousand signatures on a petition on Change.org. In fact, for the next two weeks after the prayer, the state's epic dry streak grew worse. His committee assignments included Ethics, Finance & Public Utilities, Health & Human Services, Reapportionment, and Economic Development, Tourism & Cultural Affairs. So you have 14 members who serve each congressional district in Georgia, and then there are five at-large positions. 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. Gov. On April 1, 2022, Perdue took over as the system's 14th chancellor. The North American Vexillological Association had deemed it the ugliest U.S. state flag. (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. 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. [News tape] WSB: As governor, Perdue's record on education is also being called into question. 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. 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. 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. Eric Stirgus: Well, he didn't go into specifics that day. All Rights Reserved. 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. Her name is Theresa McCartney, and she worked under Mr. Wrigley. Or are they sometimes coming from outside it? [7] Steve Fennessy: So the faction that was opposed or is opposed to the idea of Sonny Perdue as chancellor seems to be getting smaller. [67], Regardless of whether the deal was intended to influence Perdue's actions, and if it was if it actually had any impact, the Perdue years were good ones for ADM. But you know, obviously, you know, there's been a lot of talk recently about issues like critical race theory. The secretarys office contends he has complied with the agreement. Steve Fennessy: So there's a school of thought that Gov. 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". 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. [21] He became the first Republican governor of Georgia in 131 years since Benjamin F. 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. 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. Trump announced just days before his own inauguration, on Jan. 20, 2017, that. Is that right? (David Perdue is now locked in a tight runoff election that could decide which party controls the Senate in the next Congress.).

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