Once again, left-leaning organizations like American Oversight will do anything they can to stop this administration from helping the American people, the spokesperson said. And so now he's no longer on the regents. The commitments entailed moving his holdings into a new trust and agreeing not to serve as a trustee or beneficiary of the fund. 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. Both elections are set for Jan. 5, though early voting began on Monday. [8] Perdue served as Secretary of Agriculture throughout Trump's term. 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. Eric Stirgus: Well, he didn't go into specifics that day. Our engineers are Jesse Nighswonger and Jake Cook. 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. I'm going to read a paragraph towards the end of her letter. But Perdue is struggling. 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. Brian Kemp and thought Trump thought his endorsement would spell immediate trouble for the incumbent. Two-thirds of the reassigned USDA employees chose to quit rather than accept relocation. I'm Steve Fennessy. What does it mean to be a chancellor? 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. Libertarian Garrett Michael Hayes was also on the ballot. [6] His nomination was approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee by a 191 voice vote on March 30. 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. And so, you know, they point to things like that and they also point to issues, you know, point to things that, you know, hey, other states have hired elected officials and former politicians to lead colleges or universities. [45], During his governorship, the Georgia State Ethics Commission received thirteen complaints against Perdue. [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. 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. Today, reader support makes up about two-thirds of our budget, allows us to dig deep on stories that matter, and lets us keep our reporting free for everyone. The Board of Regents announced that the former Republican governor is its choice to become chancellor. He was sworn in by Supreme Court associate justice and fellow Georgian Clarence Thomas. Eric Stirgus: Yes, definitely. He enjoys flying and, in a 2003 incident, was accused of flying a state helicopter without a license. Alec Poitevint, long a pivotal player in the Perdue network, is now backing Kemp over David Perdue. Sonny Perdue Is Sole Finalist to Lead Georgias Public Universities, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/15/us/sonny-perdue-georgia-chancellor.html. Eric Stirgus: Yeah, I mean, and that's the argument that many of Kemp's team has said. [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. 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". A longtime Atlanta-based journalist, he is a former editor-in-chief of Atlanta magazine. The state's Board of Regents on Wednesday named a veteran finance official as the acting chancellor of Georgia's public university system, stalling former Gov. 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. 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. He was there at the end. 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. One is looking at his record, as you know, the governor of Georgia. Kemp has used congressional redistricting to add more Sonny Perdue supporters to the Board of Regents. The Georgia Public Library Service and the Georgia Archives . Charles S. Bullock, III, The Georgia Political Almanac, The General Assembly 199394. 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 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." Why is Sonny Perdue is such a polarizing figure? 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.. And you know, in saying, you know, this is why we, you know, we are concerned about Sonny Perdue becoming chancellor. Last month, the U.S. State Department said it will start processing more applicants seeking H-2A temporary. Using the CCC to hand billions to big farmersmajor Trump supporters in 2016 is a signature move of Perdues USDA. But should it go to a politician? Eric Stirgus: Georgia's top elected officials constantly talk about, you know, we need workers who are college and career ready, people who can just step into jobs. 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. Eric Stirgus: You know, and then there have been other instances where, you know, Sonny has supported now-Gov. 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 . Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox. 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. Or are they sometimes coming from outside it? 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. Has he said, "I'm supporting the guy who's pushing my candidacy for chancellor" or "I'm supporting my cousin who's running against him"? He later served as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and was named chancellor of the University System of Georgia in 2022.. Background and Education Steve Fennessy: What form has that opposition taken on college campuses or in academic circles? 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. Perdue announced the final relocation site in a letter that was distributed to employees Thursday morning. 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. 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. But is there a way of, like, by appointing by at least advancing the candidacy of Sonny Perdue for chancellor is this a way for Brian Kemp to gain some political points with some Trump voters out there? The department did not provide further documentation that potential conflicts in 2017 were limited to AGrowStar and Pro Ag Products. From the year 2017 to 2021, George has served as the 31st United States Secretary Of Agriculture. 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." We'll be back next week. But ethics questions have piled up in recent months about the secretarys mixing of USDA duties and his political promotion of the president. 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. President Trump is endorsing Brian Kemp's Republican opponent in the primary, David Perdue, to be the next governor. [46] Perdue failed to disclose his ownership of the property in required financial disclosure forms. Come on board with me. [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. [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. [31] The choices were a modified version of the First National Flag of the Confederate States of America, with the Georgia State Seal prominently displayed inside a circle of 13 stars, or the flag created in 2001 by the Roy Barnes administration. He was the first Republican chosen by Georgians to occupy the governor's mansion since the Reconstruction-era election of Rufus Bullock in 1868. By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from Mother Jones and our partners. (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. [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. And I'm curious about why it's elicited such a ferocious response on the side of those who are for the idea, but also those who are against it. The complex arrangements were criticized as breaking the spirit of the rule, however, and that Perdue and his family's ties to his corporation were not distanced as much as the law intended. [67], Perdue and his wife, Mary (ne Ruff), were married in 1972 after dating for four years. June 23, 2021. Am I being naive to think that that that would be the case? She said that this is coming from a place of strength and not weakness. Gov. 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. Steve Fennessy: What did you think when you first heard about that? 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 has largely avoided the sort of major scandals that have dogged many others in Trumps Cabinet. The U.S. Senate confirmed Secretary Perdue by a vote of 87-to-11 on Monday evening. 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. [46] The land was eventually sold to developers; however, the state was evaluating bidding on the property and keeping it as a reserve. [69] Perdue lives in Bonaire, Georgia. Copyright 2023 Mother Jones and the Foundation for National Progress. (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. [27] In 2007, Georgia moved up to 46th place. Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights. Perdues response? His nomination was transmitted to the U.S. Senate on March 9, 2017. Steve Fennessy: And when Wrigley said he was going to retire, was there kind of a shortlist floated around of possible successors? 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. Caught in the middle of a Republican overhaul of education, teachers feel under attack, Senate bill cracks down on local school boards' ability to eject disruptive parents from meetings. Although it returned to last place in 2005,[26] Georgia rose to 49th place in 2006 in the combined math and reading mean score, including the writing portion added to the test that year. The sole vote against him came from Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). Senator David Perdue (R-GA) abstained, as they are first cousins. "[45], The project overall has been scrutinized as a waste of taxpayer money due to mismanagement of bond money and extremely low visitors. He switched party affiliation from Democrat to Republican in 1998 and was re-elected to the State Senate as a Republican. Georgias public university system said on Tuesday that former Gov. 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). There, he managed a workforce of 110,000 employees in the U.S. Department of Agriculture with the stated objective of being the most efficient, effective and customer-friendly agency in the . Sonny Perdue, aka George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III, is known to be a veterinarian, businessman, and politician of the United States of America. Subscribe today and get a full year of Mother Jones for just $14.95. It is no surprise that these made up accusations are coming out in the final weeks of October. 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. The Perdue USDAs largesse to large-scale farmers and agribusinesses went beyond cutting wages and protective measures for their workers. Sign up to receive GPB Event announcements via Email. David Perdue is saying, "I'm the big Trump guy here." Governor Pierre Howard asking for more responsibilities, and Howard obliged. Eric Stirgus: There are 26 institutions in the system. As governor, Perdue mastered the Trumpian strategy of using know-nothing bigotry as a beard for brazen self-dealing, sometimes involving his own family. So very excited to have the president standing with us and I'm a lot like him. But last year, he disclosed he had become trustee of a newly formed fund that includes many of the same assets as his original family trust. He had even served as the 81st Governor of Georgia, and his tenure was from 2003 to 2011. She says a lot of things. On April 1, 2022, Perdue took over as the system's 14th chancellor. [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]. Eric Stirgus: His name is Steve Wrigley and he retired. Yes. In 2011, he founded Perdue Partners, which facilitated the export of U.S. goods and services. [News tape] WSB: In a statement, Perdue said education funding was affected by twin recessions while he was governor. Steve Fennessy: As you said, Sonny Perdue persuaded Donald Trump when he was president to endorse Brian Kemp. [72], In 2006, Perdue's financial disclosure forms revealed that he had a net worth of approximately $6 million and received compensation of $700,000 that year.[73]. I can't imagine Sonny Perdue doing that." Eric Stirgus: Good question. 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. 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. 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. And then also, you know, maybe among some who might be interested in working for the university system. Steve Fennessy: Well, let's unpack a little bit more this rather awkward political relationship going on. Steve Fennessy: So how do you get a job to be chancellor? Eric Stirgus: Most of them are designated by congressional district. There's been some social media push against him. So those are some of the things that have concerned a lot of state leaders or particularly on the Republican side. [30], In 2001, Democratic governor Roy Barnes replaced the 1956 state flag, which incorporated the battle flag of the Confederacy, and which had been adopted by Georgia largely as a protest against desegregation. He won his first term in 2014 by fewer than 8 percentage points. 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. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue told the crowd at last week's event in North Carolina that he got a call from the White House. [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.