Your support makes this possible. Brian Kemp thinks so, and it looks like he's getting his way. Sonny Perdue Sworn in as 31st U.S. Secretary of Agriculture His nomination was transmitted to the U.S. Senate on March 9, 2017. Eric Stirgus: Sonny Perdue, you know, encouraged then-President Trump to endorse Brian Kemp in the Republican primary back in 2018. 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. But should it go to a politician? 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. 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"? "[45], The project overall has been scrutinized as a waste of taxpayer money due to mismanagement of bond money and extremely low visitors. Can you pitch in a few bucks to help fund Mother Jones' investigative journalism? The latest scrutiny stems from the agriculture secretary's wealth of current and former interests in agriculture, trucking and land development. Last month, the U.S. State Department said it will start processing more applicants seeking H-2A temporary. 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. So those are some of the things that have concerned a lot of state leaders or particularly on the Republican side. [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. 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? He later served as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and was named chancellor of the University System of Georgia in 2022.. Background and Education [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: Publicly, I don't think he's said one way or another right now. 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. Sonny Perdue is a rarity: A Trump Cabinet member who went the - ajc 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.. Sonny Perdue - Wikipedia There's been a lot of different issues that colleges are facing regarding social issues and political issues. He had even served as the 81st Governor of Georgia, and his tenure was from 2003 to 2011. 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. 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. Eric Stirgus: There are 26 institutions in the system. Georgia Today: Is Mayor Bottoms Paying The Political Cost For A COVID Crime Wave? In fact, for the next two weeks after the prayer, the state's epic dry streak grew worse. But Perdue is struggling. But last year,. So you have 14 members who serve each congressional district in Georgia, and then there are five at-large positions. 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. This is Georgia Today. Can you pitch in a few bucks to help fund Mother Jones' investigative journalism? 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. 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. And you know, in saying, you know, this is why we, you know, we are concerned about Sonny Perdue becoming chancellor. Here to help us make sense of the implications of all this is Eric Stirgis, who covers higher education at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 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. 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. . [40], In 2008, Perdue worked with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency to implement Ready Georgia, a campaign to increase disaster preparedness throughout the state. The office directed the USDA chief to reimburse the government for travel expenses and other costs of the event. 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. Perdue is one of the original Trump Cabinet appointees who remained by the president throughout the administration. 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. 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. "There is one thing we know for sure: Sen. David Perdue will be . 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. He switched party affiliation from Democrat to Republican in 1998 and was re-elected to the State Senate as a Republican. "[35], In 2006, Perdue signed a law that gave Georgia "some of the nation's toughest measures against illegal immigrants. 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. [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. 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. And besides the national prominence afforded any state governor, Perdue garnered widespread attention for his actions in 2007 during the worst drought in Georgia's history. Steve Fennessy: There's something else going on here. He served two terms,. Steve Fennessy: OK, Sonny Perdue is, I think he's 75. [67], Perdue and his wife, Mary (ne Ruff), were married in 1972 after dating for four years. [News tape] CNN: The former president recruited the former Sen. David Perdue to mount a primary challenge to Gov. 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. [25], In 2007, Perdue convinced a skeptical legislature to approve a $19 million fishing tourism program he called Go Fish Georgia. At least he is out of the gate. 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. You know, I've worked with him, but you know, I just didn't feel like, you know, he was the best person for the job. AGrowStar (including the assets acquired as part of the Estill deal) was sold by Perdue's trusts in 2018 for 12 million dollars, but due to the secretive nature of the trusts, this was not widely disclosed. 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. Georgia Runoff: Perdue-Ossoff Senate Race Heads To Runoff : NPR - NPR.org I give him my full and total endorsement.". Kemp is sort of paying back a favor. The board cited Perdue's, quote, "vast understanding of the issues facing the university system," unquote. They have to be in charge of making sure that the schools comply with federal education policies and procedures, state education rules and regulations. It's us but for your ears. I cant imagine Sonny Perdue doing that.. The terms of two of those members expired at the beginning of January, and Gov. Sonny Perdue Is Sole Finalist to Lead Georgia's Public Universities In his 2002 election campaign, Perdue promised that he would let the state's citizens vote to determine the state flag. [41] The next year, Georgia was affected by the September floods, which were the most severe in Georgia's recorded history. 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." 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. Sonny Perdue, aka George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III, is known to be a veterinarian, businessman, and politician of the United States of America. Jess Mador is our producer. Georgia Public Radio GPTV, Oversight group isnt reviewing Georgia regents choice of Sonny Perdue. Watchdog organizations are now calling for the Agriculture Departments inspector general to investigate whether Perdue has run afoul of the ethics agreement he signed as a nominee for the job early in the Trump administration. 10 Things You Didn't Know About Sonny Perdue - US News & World Report Steve Fennessy: How unusual is it for a letter like that to be written? So let's go into November with me as your nominee.". So you've had recently, you know, the Board of Regents members serve seven-year terms. 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: Now, you know, conversely, his supporters say he was a governor of Georgia for eight years. So without that accreditation, it could severely impact, you know, enrollment. 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. [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. 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. [70], Perdue is an avid sportsman. 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. Sonny Perdue on Confirmation to Lead Dept. 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. Lance Cheung/USDA; Mother Jones Illustration. All Rights Reserved. His committee assignments included Ethics, Finance & Public Utilities, Health & Human Services, Reapportionment, and Economic Development, Tourism & Cultural Affairs. [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. "To me it was a boondoggle because of the amount of money they were spending and the location," said Rep. Alan Powell, R-Hartwell, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. Please consider making a gift today to support this vital public service. 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. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters. Eric Stirgus: Yes, definitely. His nomination was transmitted to the U.S. Senate on March 9, 2017. Not satisfied with fighting to take food off the tables of poor families, Perdue also set his sights on farm workers. Eric Stirgus: Yes. Personal: Perdue. Mr. Kemp had received Mr. Trumps endorsement in 2018, but their relationship deteriorated following the Kemp administrations refusal to undermine Georgias presidential election results in 2020. Both elections are set for Jan. 5, though early voting began on Monday. Secretary Perdue has visibility into and control over the trusts and their underlying assets, and he continues to benefit from them despite the plain terms of his 2017 ethics agreement, Evers wrote to the inspector general. After Perdue took office, in 2003 and 2004, Georgia moved up from last place in the country in SAT scores. However, most served in the early years of the war and were either forced at gunpoint or feared reprisals for disloyalty. Listen on Apple Podcasts. @SecretarySonny (to use his folksy Twitter handle) stayed the course that characterized his entire time at UDSA. 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. You know, he's a strong conservative, you know, and he's David Perdue's cousin. So tell us, what does the job of chancellor of Georgia universities and colleges entail? 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. I'm Steve Fennessy. Let's go into November and be against Stacey Abrams together.". Why are we still talking about this, then? How is that number arrived at? Our engineers are Jesse Nighswonger and Jake Cook. 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. 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. [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. 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. 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. 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. The Perdue USDAs largesse to large-scale farmers and agribusinesses went beyond cutting wages and protective measures for their workers. He served as his party's leader in the Senate from 1994 to 1997 and as president pro tempore. He was the only member of the Trump administration to endorse such a plan. The other election pits Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler against the Rev. Steve Fennessy: As you said, Sonny Perdue persuaded Donald Trump when he was president to endorse Brian Kemp. What Is Sonny Perdue Doing Now? [23], In January 2003, Perdue signed an executive order prohibiting himself and all other state employees from receiving any gift worth more than $25. We've been hearing that Gov. David Perdue now a U.S. senator to . Sonny Perdue age, height, net worth 2023, wife, girlfriend, kids How did we find out about that? 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: I think it's been a mix of both. [23] Prior to Perdue's becoming governor, no state agency had compiled an inventory of what assets were owned by the state. Charles S. Bullock, III, The Georgia Political Almanac, The General Assembly 199394. 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. [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. Perdue led Ossoff in the . Steve Fennessy: The governor appoints the regents on the Board of Regents; there's 19 of them. Donald Trump's agriculture secretary, Sonny Perdue, was confirmed April 24, 2017, and he will have a wide reach in his role. You know, there was a faction of regents members who were not supportive of him at all. But Sonny Perdue was there from the beginning. What is that history? Not that Perdue lacks national stature - he was the governor of Georgia, a heavily agricultural state, from 2003 to 2011. The credits are meant to offset the environmental impact of land development and they can be bought and sold on the marketplace. In 2011, he founded Perdue Partners, which facilitated the export of U.S. goods and services. Opponents of the choice say Perdue's appointment would jeopardize academic freedom across the systems 26 campuses. Sonny Perdue had campaigned on his cousins behalf during David Perdues 2020 re-election campaign, which he narrowly lost to Senator Jon Ossoff. Steve Fennessy: Welcome back to Georgia Today.