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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". 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. Trump announced just days before his own inauguration, on Jan. 20, 2017, that. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "As the vigil ended, the sun shone through what had been a cloudy morning. Atlanta, GA 30318 Steve Fennessy: So how do you get a job to be chancellor? This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and 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. The board cited Perdue's, quote, "vast understanding of the issues facing the university system," unquote. 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. 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. I'm Steve Fennessy. Perdue is a kind of an easy-going Southern version of the president he served so zealously. All Rights Reserved. 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). 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: You know, and then there have been other instances where, you know, Sonny has supported now-Gov. So, you know, it'll be interesting to see. So we have Brian Kemp in this fierce battle against David Perdue primary battle for governor. [3], In 2006, Perdue was re-elected to a second term in the 2006 Georgia gubernatorial election, winning nearly 58% of the vote. 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. [24] During his governorship, Perdue collected at least $25,000 in gifts, including sporting event tickets and airplane flights. 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. The Board of Regents is expected to confirm Perdue's appointment in the next two weeks. The policy, according to the American Association of University Professors, is the only one of its kind in the country. [News tape] WSB: In a statement, Perdue said education funding was affected by twin recessions while he was governor. Brian Kemp is in a fierce battle with David Perdue. 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. Senator David Perdue (R-GA) abstained, as they are first cousins. Perdue made his acting debut in "We Are Marshall," a 2006 film about the 1970 plane crash that claimed the lives of 75 Marshall University football players, coaches, supporters and staff.. The office directed the USDA chief to reimburse the government for travel expenses and other costs of the event. Steve Fennessy: There's something else going on here. Perdue, Trump's first and only agriculture secretary, is a notable exception. 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. Steve Fennessy: How unusual is it for a letter like that to be written? Meanwhile, in 2020, the pandemic ravaged meatpacking workers and put millions out of work, causing a surge in the need for food assistanceboth very much areas of concern for the agriculture department. We noticed you have an ad blocker on. Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox. 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. 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. 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.. [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. Eric Stirgus: Well, he didn't go into specifics that day. The first two companies are managed by Perdues children, according to Georgia records. Let's go into November and be against Stacey Abrams together.". Students and faculty members around the state are reacting to news that Republican former Gov. [48], During meetings with Georgia state port officials, then-Governor Perdue discussed his family business's use of a terminal, then started a new export company in Savannah soon after leaving office. And then also, I think, you know, there's been some criticism that he's not the best qualified person for the position. He also won reelection in 2000. His anti-immigrant machinations worked all too well, creating a crippling labor shortage for Georgias immigrant-dependent farms and poultry slaughterhouses. David Perdue now a U.S. senator to . If a college loses accreditation, warned the agencys president, Belle S. Wheelan, it could cause enrollment declines, lead to bad publicity and revoke the schools access to federal money. He referenced the pandemic and the phrase "Cultural Revolution." The reallocation entailed raising the companys holdings of highly valuable wetlands credits while lowering its portion of much cheaper stream credits. Steve Fennessy: Well, there was also some changes that happened on the board itself, right? Jess Mador is our producer. The regents hired another firm, and then it put Ms. McCartney as acting chancellor, and so there really hasn't been much movement up until, I guess, the last few weeks. [18], Perdue was elected as a Democrat in 1991, 1994, and 1996. In fact, for the next two weeks after the prayer, the state's epic dry streak grew worse. Like Trump, hes a former Democrat who ascended to political power (in Perdues case, Georgia governor) in a stunning upset. These emergency benefits represent a 40% increase in . Steve Fennessy: So the faction that was opposed or is opposed to the idea of Sonny Perdue as chancellor seems to be getting smaller. Brian Kemp is not. You know, looking at that and he can say that Gov. I'm joined by Eric Stirgus, who covers higher education for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. And I understand that he wasn't the biggest supporter of the idea of Sonny Perdue as chancellor. [28] In 2008, Georgia moved up again, to 45th place. Is that right? Why is there 19? But you know, we are hearing, you know, some of the newer members could be a lot more supportive 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. The terms of two of those members expired at the beginning of January, and Gov. 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". Steve Fennessy: What did you think when you first heard about that? [55], In July 2019, Perdue ordered two USDA agenciesthe Economic Research Service (ERS) and the National Institute of Food and Agricultureto move from the USDA's headquarters in Washington, D.C. to the Kansas City metropolitan area. Purdue merged the voter-fraud myth with another racist fantasy, also fervently indulged by Trump, that undocumented immigrants burden taxpayers by siphoning welfare benefits. Sonny Perdue Age: 75 Birthplace: Perry, Georgia Political History: Georgia state senator, 1991-2002; governor, 2003-2011; U.S. Department of Agriculture secretary, 2017-2021. And Sonny Perdue was one of the only, if not the only cabinet member who went the distance in the Donald Trump administration. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters. Personal: Perdue. "[45], The project overall has been scrutinized as a waste of taxpayer money due to mismanagement of bond money and extremely low visitors. 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. [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. Some would say the most important job is, you know, making sure that money that comes from the state is sent to the schools and is being spent properly. 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. Not satisfied with fighting to take food off the tables of poor families, Perdue also set his sights on farm workers. Perdue led Ossoff in the . "[37], According to a March 5, 2008, proclamation by Perdue, "Among those who served the Confederacy were many African-Americans, both free and slave, who saw action in the Confederate armed forces in many combat roles. Steve Fennessy: So he left in June. Perdues response? After Perdue took office, in 2003 and 2004, Georgia moved up from last place in the country in SAT scores. [25], In 2007, Perdue convinced a skeptical legislature to approve a $19 million fishing tourism program he called Go Fish Georgia. Quite honestly, I've been in the private sector for 30 years. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said today that he did not plan to step down from his Cabinet duties, amid reports that the president is getting ready to make several . The Georgia Public Library Service and the Georgia Archives . 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. From the year 2017 to 2021, George has served as the 31st United States Secretary Of Agriculture. 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. 260 14th St. NW He was there at the end. 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. [53] In August 2017, he announced a mentoring program for new farmers. Perdue will begin his duties as the 14th chancellor on April 1, according to a press release from USG. He switched party affiliation from Democrat to Republican in 1998 and was re-elected to the State Senate as a Republican. 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. [22], Perdue advocated reforms designed to cut waste in government, most notably the sale of surplus vehicles and real estate. Steve Fennessy: But in the state of Georgia, I would think that, at least of jobs that are sort of in the employ of the state of Georgia, there are few that are more prominent or important than chancellor. It is simply unacceptable for people to sneak into this country illegally on Thursday, obtain a government-issued ID on Friday, head for the welfare office on Monday, and cast a vote on Tuesday, he declared, backing up his rancid lies with a crackdown on undocumented people. [43], Beginning in 2007, Governor Perdue began to pursue the goal of making Georgia the "bass-fishing tourism mecca". Who hires the chancellor? And then also there has been, through the congressional redistricting process, you know, because of some changes insome of the districts, you know, we've had two additional changes on the regents where two members are now no longer on the board and the governor has replaced another one of those members and all three of the members that he has replaced are people who have been, you know, very supportive of the governor in the past through campaign contributions and other ways. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Eric Stirgus: His name is Steve Wrigley and he retired. The watchdogs question whether the sale of AGrowStar and Pro Ag Products was enough to quash all potential conflicts. Feb. 15, 2022 Georgia's public university system said on Tuesday that former 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. This is Georgia Today. Eric Stirgus: There are 26 institutions in the system. 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. His committee assignments included Ethics, Finance & Public Utilities, Health & Human Services, Reapportionment, and Economic Development, Tourism & Cultural Affairs. The former Georgia governor has a background in agriculture. Steve Fennessy: You mentioned that there's a long political history between Sonny Perdue and Brian Kemp. Coronavirus-riddled slaughterhouses, in turn, emerged as primary vectors for spreading the pathogen to surrounding communities. 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. 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. Sonny Perdue served two terms as the governor of Georgia, from 2003 to 2011. Libertarian Garrett Michael Hayes was also on the ballot. His selection has angered professors concerned about academic freedom. As governor from 2003 until 2011, he celebrated the states legacy of chattel slaverysigning 2009 legislation making April Confederate History and Heritage Month, honoring the more than 90,000 brave men and women who served the Confederate States of America. He was an early adopter of race-motivated voter suppression, signing into law one of the nations first strict ID laws. Sonny Perdue was its sole finalist to become chancellor, a choice that has outraged some professors and led a regional agency to threaten the accreditation of the 26-school system. You know, he's a strong conservative, you know, and he's David Perdue's cousin. Steve Fennessy: What form has that opposition taken on college campuses or in academic circles? Sonny Perdue Is Sole Finalist to Lead Georgias Public Universities, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/15/us/sonny-perdue-georgia-chancellor.html. 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. He oversees 26 public colleges and universities with a $9.8 billion annual budget, 48,000 faculty and staff and more than 340,000 students. A USDA spokesperson denied Perdue was involved and said holding such land doesnt conflict with his duties as secretary. [7] [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. I understand that the Board of Regents, at least in its previous iteration, was not necessarily too keen on the idea of Sonny Perdue as the next chancellor, is that correct? 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. 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. I mean, you know, there is one former member now, Phillip Lehi, who did, you know, say, Hey, I like Sonny Perdue personally. Georgia Today: Is Mayor Bottoms Paying The Political Cost For A COVID Crime Wave? Steve Fennessy: Sonny Perdue is a Republican, so when he uses an expression like Cultural Revolution, what is he referring to? Am I being naive to think that that that would be the case? [64][65][66], In June 2021, a news story broke of financial dealings Perdue had after his nomination as Secretary of Agriculture but before his confirmation. So that's a little strange, isn't it? The administration began acquiring bond money for the Go Fish Education Center near his home in Perry, GA. [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. 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. 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.