He's also a fierce advocate for Sonny Perdue to land the chancellor job, saying his experience . 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. Why are we still talking about this, then? Feb. 15, 2022 Georgia's public university system said on Tuesday that former Gov. You know, there was a faction of regents members who were not supportive of him at all. 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. Brian Kemp thinks so, and it looks like he's getting his way. [9], Perdue was born in Perry, Georgia, the son of Ophie Viola (Holt), a teacher, and George Ervin Perdue Jr., a farmer. [43], Beginning in 2007, Governor Perdue began to pursue the goal of making Georgia the "bass-fishing tourism mecca". By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from Mother Jones and our partners. [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. It is no surprise that these made up accusations are coming out in the final weeks of October. A USDA spokesperson denied Perdue was involved and said holding such land doesnt conflict with his duties as secretary. 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. 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 . So we have not had a chancellor at least, a non-interim chancellor for at least seven or eight months, right? Two-thirds of the reassigned USDA employees chose to quit rather than accept relocation. On December 30, 2016, Perdue's company AGrowStar purchased property and a facility from Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM), a large American agribusiness corporation that the Department of Agriculture regulates. The office directed the USDA chief to reimburse the government for travel expenses and other costs of the event. Libertarian Garrett Michael Hayes was also on the ballot. Steve Fennessy: Politics makes strange bedfellows. 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. You know, he was brought on actually, you know, during Sonny Perdue's tenure to take on the job. Then there were the full-on MAGA-bots like Sonny Perdue, the Georgia politician and agribusiness entrepreneur who became agriculture secretary. Georgia Public Radio GPTV, Oversight group isnt reviewing Georgia regents choice of Sonny Perdue. 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. And so, you know, I think he was one of those, you know, members who, you know, was part of that faction were against it. What Is Sonny Perdue Doing Now? He would not be the first governor to move into academia: Former Gov. Sonny Perdue's . 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. That decision and the selection of Mr. Perdue are both intrusions on academic freedom, Mr. Boedy, the University of North Georgia professor, said. Eric Stirgus: I think, you know, his critics have a couple of reasons that they're concerned. Here to help us make sense of the implications of all this is Eric Stirgis, who covers higher education at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 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. Raphael Warnock. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms shocked manyby announcing last week she will not be running for reelection. Eric Stirgus: Yeah, I mean, and that's the argument that many of Kemp's team has said. However, most served in the early years of the war and were either forced at gunpoint or feared reprisals for disloyalty. "The. You know, he also backed Brian Kemp to fill the position of Secretary of State. Eric Stirgus: I think it's been a mix of both. This is Georgia Today. [6] His nomination was approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee by a 191 voice vote on March 30. "The most important activity in which any governing board will be involved in is the selection of the CEO. This week on Georgia Today, we look at some issues Bottoms faced during her tenure as mayor with CNN national correspondentRyan Young. (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. You can keep up with Georgia today by subscribing to the show at GPB.org. So without that accreditation, it could severely impact, you know, enrollment. [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. [67], Perdue's assets during his time as Secretary were placed in blind trusts, as is common to prevent financial conflicts of interest. Trump said Friday that he has directed Perdue to provide at least $16 billion in relief. Jess Mador is our producer. So you have 14 members who serve each congressional district in Georgia, and then there are five at-large positions. [24], In mid-2003, Perdue purchased 101 acres (0.41km2) of land next to his Houston County, Georgia, home. @SecretarySonny (to use his folksy Twitter handle) stayed the course that characterized his entire time at UDSA. [53] In August 2017, he announced a mentoring program for new farmers. [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. Steve Fennessy: OK, Sonny Perdue is, I think he's 75. And then also, you know, maybe among some who might be interested in working for the university system. [24] The State Ethics Commission ruled against Perdue twice, finding that he had taken improper campaign contributions from donors including SunTrust Banks and that he had improperly used one of his family business's airplanes on the campaign, for which the commission fined the sitting governor. Steve Fennessy: What did you think when you first heard about that? George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III[1] (born December 20, 1946) is an American veterinarian, businessman, politician, and university administrator who served as the 31st United States Secretary of Agriculture from 2017 to 2021. Perdues response? [News tape] WSB: Gov. I ran because I was frustrated with the government. Steve Fennessy: Chancellor of the University System of Georgia it's one of the most coveted jobs in higher education. Sonny Perdue on Confirmation to Lead Dept. Steve Fennessy: So he left in June. So tell us, what does the job of chancellor of Georgia universities and colleges entail? 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." The Perdue USDAs largesse to large-scale farmers and agribusinesses went beyond cutting wages and protective measures for their workers. Sonny Perdue may soon head up Georgias public university system. At the beginning of 2020, Perdue yearned publicly for a way to cut federally mandated wages for migrant farm workers on guest visas. Steve Fennessy: Welcome back to Georgia Today. He also has largely avoided the sort of major scandals that have dogged many others in Trumps Cabinet. Perdue announced the final relocation site in a letter that was distributed to employees Thursday morning. 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"? Jess Mador is the lead podcast producer at GPB News. But you know, we are hearing, you know, some of the newer members could be a lot more supportive of Sonny Perdue. Copyright 2023 Mother Jones and the Foundation for National Progress. 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. 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. 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. Yes. On April 1, 2022, Perdue took over as the system's 14th chancellor. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources figures showed 21,101 people visited the Perry facility in fiscal 2015, which ended June 30. [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. I'm Steve Fennessy. The Board of Regents named Dr. Sonny Perdue the 14th chancellor of the University System of Georgia effective April 1, 2022. So, you know, it'll be interesting to see. Purdue merged the voter-fraud myth with another racist fantasy, also fervently indulged by Trump, that undocumented immigrants burden taxpayers by siphoning welfare benefits. Georgia Today is a production of Georgia Public Broadcasting. [41] The next year, Georgia was affected by the September floods, which were the most severe in Georgia's recorded history. This is diversity and inclusion. [47], Perdue was constitutionally ineligible to seek a third consecutive term as governor in the 2010 Georgia gubernatorial election. There's been some social media push against him. And you know, I think there have been a couple of state lawmakers who have publicly come out against the idea. [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]. His anti-immigrant machinations worked all too well, creating a crippling labor shortage for Georgias immigrant-dependent farms and poultry slaughterhouses. And so now he's no longer on the regents. The U.S. Senate confirmed Secretary Perdue by a vote of 87-to-11 on Monday evening. Steve Fennessy: So there's a school of thought that Gov. Eric Stirgus: You know, it's a pretty important job in the state of Georgia. What is that history? Using the CCC to hand billions to big farmersmajor Trump supporters in 2016 is a signature move of Perdues USDA. Perdue will not improve the state of education as chancellor - he will only ruin it.. 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 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: Matthew Boedy, a University of North Georgia professor and president of the Georgia conference of the American Association of University Professors, told the New York Times that, quote, "a chancellor's job is to defend the system against such bills. The commitments entailed moving his holdings into a new trust and agreeing not to serve as a trustee or beneficiary of the fund. 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. [46] The land was eventually sold to developers; however, the state was evaluating bidding on the property and keeping it as a reserve. USDA argues that the reorganization Perdue laid out in his 2017 ethics agreement was intended to separate the secretary from two agribusinesses in particular: grain merchandiser AGrowStar LLC and grain marketer Pro Ag Products, both of which were also owned by Perdue Business Holdings before they were sold to outside buyers. 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. Therefore the new trust Perdue listed on his 2019 financial disclosure, identifying himself as a co-trustee, poses no conflict of interest or violation of his ethics commitments, the spokesperson said. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has long been President Donald Trumps most effective advocate among rural voters. Brian Kemp is not. Mitch Daniels of Indiana has led Purdue University since 2012. [News tape] FOX5: Critics have questioned Perdue's experience, pointing out his lack of experience in the higher education setting. The board cited Perdue's, quote, "vast understanding of the issues facing the university system," unquote. 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. Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox. Some farmers ended up destroying perfectly good food. 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. He was confirmed by the Senate on April 24,[49] with Bernie Sanders and nine Democrats voting against him. [News tape] WSB: In a statement, Perdue said education funding was affected by twin recessions while he was governor. Perdue, Trump's first and only agriculture secretary, is a notable exception. 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. 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? Your support makes this possible. 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. [23], In January 2003, Perdue signed an executive order prohibiting himself and all other state employees from receiving any gift worth more than $25. [21] He became the first Republican governor of Georgia in 131 years since Benjamin F. Eric Stirgus: You know, and then there have been other instances where, you know, Sonny has supported now-Gov. 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. [24] During his governorship, Perdue collected at least $25,000 in gifts, including sporting event tickets and airplane flights. Eric Stirgus: He has some interest in the job because, you know, he realizes the importance of higher education to the state's economy. Perdues spokesperson also rejected the watchdog groups request for an investigation as politically motivated. 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. And so there are some ways to Sonny Perdue can help the university system of Georgia. 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. Quite honestly, I've been in the private sector for 30 years. Georgia Today: Is Mayor Bottoms Paying The Political Cost For A COVID Crime Wave? Sonny Perdue served two terms as governor of Georgia before being named Agriculture Secretary in the Trump administration.