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. He served two terms,. 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. 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. But you know, obviously, you know, there's been a lot of talk recently about issues like critical race theory. [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. Mr. Perdue served two terms as governor from 2003 to 2011, and later became Secretary of Agriculture under President Donald J. Trump. Is Sonny Perdue staking out any does he have a dog in this fight, at least publicly? [24], In mid-2003, Perdue purchased 101 acres (0.41km2) of land next to his Houston County, Georgia, home. 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. 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. Eric Stirgus: Yes. 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. [43], Beginning in 2007, Governor Perdue began to pursue the goal of making Georgia the "bass-fishing tourism mecca". [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. 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". [23] Prior to Perdue's becoming governor, no state agency had compiled an inventory of what assets were owned by the state. We noticed you have an ad blocker on. [25], In 2007, Perdue convinced a skeptical legislature to approve a $19 million fishing tourism program he called Go Fish Georgia. He later served as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and was named chancellor of the University System of Georgia in 2022.. Background and Education 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. Steve Fennessy: There's something else going on here. [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. Eric Stirgus: I think it's been a mix of both. Chancellor of the University System of Georgia, University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, First National Flag of the Confederate States of America, North American Vexillological Association, United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, List of American politicians who switched parties in office, "Former Georgia governor tapped as Trump's agriculture secretary, sources say", "Company Overview of Perdue Partners, LLC", "BPC Congratulates Sec. 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." Steve Fennessy: It's interesting the the letter was addressed to Sachin Shailendra, who at the time was chair of the Board of Regents, but is one of those members who redistricting kind of pushed out so he's no longer on the Board of Regents. 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. 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. Eric Stirgus: Yes, Sonny Perdue backed Kemp's state Senate bid in 2002. You know, there were some complaints that, you know, he was involved in some changes that, you know, made it a little bit more difficult for students to get the HOPE scholarship. 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. [14] He defeated Republican candidate Ned Sanders in 1990 and succeeded Democratic incumbent Ed Barker as the senator representing the 18th district. Like Trump, he's a former Democratwho ascended to political power (in Perdue's case, Georgia. Subsequently, the trust sold off AGrowStar LLC and Pro Ag Products LLC (none of the other assets posed any conflict of interest with his duties as Secretary of Agriculture). He also talked about, you know, bringing stability to the system. [56] The attrition rate was particularly high in the Resource and Rural Economics Division (90%) and in the Food Economics Division (up to 89%). Kemp has used congressional redistricting to add more Sonny Perdue supporters to the Board of Regents. 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. Steve Fennessy: Welcome back to Georgia Today. What Is Sonny Perdue Doing Now? And then a couple of months later, my colleague Greg Bluestein ran into him at an event and Sonny did say that he was interested in the position, if the regents would have him. This week on Georgia Today, we look at some issues Bottoms faced during her tenure as mayor with CNN national correspondentRyan Young. So you've had recently, you know, the Board of Regents members serve seven-year terms. She currently produces the Georgia Today and Battleground: Ballot Box shows. 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. Eric Stirgus: Well, there's been a few ways. He switched party affiliation from Democrat to Republican in 1998 and was re-elected to the State Senate as a Republican. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Am I being naive to think that that that would be the case? We'll be back next week. She said that this is coming from a place of strength and not weakness. Can you pitch in a few bucks to help fund Mother Jones' investigative journalism? [61][62], In February 2020, Perdue endorsed putting a price on carbon dioxide, a climate change policy favored by many economists. Now the nonprofit American Oversight is asking USDAs inspector general to review the new structure of Perdues assets and determine whether it violates the commitments he made as a nominee for the job in 2017. The secretarys office contends he has complied with the agreement. Why is accreditation important for a university system like Georgia's? I give him my full and total endorsement.". What does it mean to be a chancellor? It's us but for your ears. Our engineers are Jesse Nighswonger and Jake Cook. Perdue is poised within . Perdue led Ossoff in the . [8] Perdue served as Secretary of Agriculture throughout Trump's term. USDAs unprecedented farm subsidies have also fueled criticism that taxpayer dollars are being used to keep farmers and ranchers in Trumps corner ahead of the election especially as the president repeatedly touts the money at campaign rallies as his own personal gift to agriculture. And so there are some ways to Sonny Perdue can help the university system of Georgia. So, you know, we've been hearing that this from faculty members who have been upset about, you know, some of his credentials in that space. [33] Georgia voters chose the flag resembling the Confederate flag. 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. Or are they sometimes coming from outside it? Georgias public university system said on Tuesday that former Gov. In 2011, he founded Perdue Partners, which facilitated the export of U.S. goods and services. He was sworn in by Supreme Court associate justice and fellow Georgian Clarence Thomas. So those are some of the things that have concerned a lot of state leaders or particularly on the Republican side. He shortly thereafter became a committee chairman, then climbed the leadership ladder to majority leader and to Senate president pro tempore. 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. The staff of Mother Jones is highlighting the years heroes and monsters. He was there at the end. [News tape] FOX5: Students against Sonny have collected more than a thousand signatures on a petition on Change.org. [46] Perdue failed to disclose his ownership of the property in required financial disclosure forms. As governor, Perdue mastered the Trumpian strategy of using know-nothing bigotry as a beard for brazen self-dealing, sometimes involving his own family. I'm going to read a paragraph towards the end of her letter. Terms of Service apply. But then prior to him, you had Errol Davis, who was a utilities company executive and he had no administrative experience in higher education. You know, he provided the money for the budget for the university system, and he understands how the system, you know, to a certain degree, you know, how the system works. And then also, I think, you know, there's been some criticism that he's not the best qualified person for the position. After Perdue took office, in 2003 and 2004, Georgia moved up from last place in the country in SAT scores. [6] His nomination was approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee by a 191 voice vote on March 30. 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? Steve Fennessy: The last full-time permanent chancellor, why did they leave? So Sonny Perdue is very much in the good graces of Donald Trump. [24], Late in the evening of March 29, 2005, the penultimate day of the legislative session, Representative Larry O'Neal, who also worked part-time as Perdue's personal lawyer, introduced legislation making capital gains tax owed on Georgia land sales deferrable if the income goes to purchase out-of-state land, also, unusually, making the tax break retroactive. Perdue, a former US senator, has so far raised a fraction of what Kemp has in his campaign war chest. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "As the vigil ended, the sun shone through what had been a cloudy morning. It generated $102,077 in revenue or about 11 cents for every dollar it cost to run the center in years past. 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. Former US Secretary of Agriculture and former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue were named chancellor of the University System of Georgia by the Board of Regents today (USG). He also won reelection in 2000. However, most served in the early years of the war and were either forced at gunpoint or feared reprisals for disloyalty. Alec Poitevint, long a pivotal player in the Perdue network, is now backing Kemp over David Perdue. In 2005, Georgia state Rep. Larry ONealPerdues personal lawyermanaged to pass what the Atlanta Journal-Constitution called a seemingly mundane tax bill thatincluded a a last-minute change that saved the governor an estimated $100,000 in state taxes. That relationship famously has gone has gone south. 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 and the department have argued that the move will lower living costs, save . Kemp. At least he is out of the gate. 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. Some farmers ended up destroying perfectly good food. And Sonny Perdue was one of the only, if not the only cabinet member who went the distance in the Donald Trump administration. Come on board with me. (David Perdue is now locked in a tight runoff election that could decide which party controls the Senate in the next Congress.). Earlier this week, Georgia's Board of Regents announced that Sonny Perdue was the sole finalist for the job. 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? Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights. [News tape] WSB: As governor, Perdue's record on education is also being called into question. But Perdue is struggling. 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. 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. Eric Stirgus: No, not officially, you know, because they are personnel decisions that the board makes. 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. [7] His appointment was approved by an 8711 vote by the Senate on April 24. 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." Your support makes this possible. 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.. [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: Sonny Perdue is a Republican, so when he uses an expression like Cultural Revolution, what is he referring to? 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. 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. How is that number arrived at? The policy, according to the American Association of University Professors, is the only one of its kind in the country. The administration began acquiring bond money for the Go Fish Education Center near his home in Perry, GA. But last year,. 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 served in the U.S. Air Force, rising to the rank of captain before his discharge. Steve Fennessy: So there's a school of thought that Gov. Steve Fennessy: Initial discussion about the possible candidacy of Sonny Perdue for chancellor for next chancellor of the University of Georgia System, the president of SACS, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Belle Whelan, sends a letter to the chair of the Board of Regents of Georgia. [1][10] He grew up and still lives in Bonaire, an unincorporated area between Perry and Warner Robins. (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. 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. Steve Fennessy: OK, Sonny Perdue is, I think he's 75. He was confirmed by the Senate on April 24,[49] with Bernie Sanders and nine Democrats voting against him. You know, he also backed Brian Kemp to fill the position of Secretary of State. Trump said Friday that he has directed Perdue to provide at least $16 billion in relief. (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. But the threat is part of the latest controversy for the Board of Regents, which in October approved a new policy where universities can fire tenured professors with little to no faculty input. 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. Georgia Public Radio GPTV, Oversight group isnt reviewing Georgia regents choice of Sonny Perdue. [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. In 2018, while Perdue was secretary, Soque River Conservation asked the Army Corps to modify the credits held by the company in a way that could boost its value by nearly $3 million, the groups estimate. Eric Stirgus: Yeah it's an important issue because, you know, colleges and universities that do not have accreditation, they can their students cannot get federal financial aid that helps pay for tuition for a lot of college students. "[35], In 2006, Perdue signed a law that gave Georgia "some of the nation's toughest measures against illegal immigrants. Anyone can read what you share. Here's Why", "USGS Release: Atlanta Flooding Sets New Records", "Gov. [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. I think Steve really was making maybe about a half million dollars when he retired, so that's way more than the governor of Georgia was making. The new questions surrounding Perdues 2017 agreement follow his rebuke last week by the Office of Special Counsel for using a taxpayer-funded event to promote President Donald Trumps reelection, in violation of the Hatch Act. 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. You know, looking at that and he can say that Gov. 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. 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. He won his first term in 2014 by fewer than 8 percentage points. Gov. 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. Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation. [67], Perdue's assets during his time as Secretary were placed in blind trusts, as is common to prevent financial conflicts of interest. As expected, the board named former governor and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue as its sole finalist to head the University System of Georgia. 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. He served as his party's leader in the Senate from 1994 to 1997 and as president pro tempore. 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. Sonny Perdue on Confirmation to Lead Dept. I can't imagine Sonny Perdue doing that." [60] In August 2019, Lewis Ziska, a USDA plant physiology climate scientist, quit after department administrators attempted to impede the publication of one of his studies in the journal Science Advances. 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. [19] After his first year in office, Senator Perdue wrote then Lt. 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. Eric Stirgus: For now, we have not heard any discussion about, you know, where Sonny Perdue will ultimately fall on the governor's race. 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. Libertarian Garrett Michael Hayes was also on the ballot. 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. So I think there is some concern out there among some of them. The sole vote against him came from Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). Eric Stirgus: Yeah, I mean, and that's the argument that many of Kemp's team has said. Can you pitch in a few bucks to help fund Mother Jones' investigative journalism? So, you know, it'll be interesting to see. 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. I cant imagine Sonny Perdue doing that.. A Big Ag corporation sold it to Sonny Perdue's company for $250,000", "Agriculture secretary pick Perdue led big political change in Georgia", "Official: Perdue flew copter without license", "Governor Perdue Makes Acting Debut in "We Are Marshall", Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Administrator of the Small Business Administration, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sonny_Perdue&oldid=1142223043, Democratic Party Georgia (U.S. state) state senators, Republican Party Georgia (U.S. state) state senators, Presidents pro tempore of the Georgia State Senate, Republican Party governors of Georgia (U.S. state), Military personnel from Georgia (U.S. state), Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 05:05.
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