In this 2017 post, I recount some of the port-related shenanigans the cousins Perdue got up to together, including launching a port-reliant export business. The Georgia Board of Regents on Tuesday named former governor and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue as the sole finalist to lead the state's University System. [7] His appointment was approved by an 8711 vote by the Senate on April 24. Eric Stirgus: I think, you know, there's just some uncertainty among many faculty members about, you know, who will eventually serve in the position and you know what role they may take on, you know, on this, you know, systems operations. 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." [1][10] He grew up and still lives in Bonaire, an unincorporated area between Perry and Warner Robins. Anyone can read what you share. White House Seeks To Lower Farmworker Pay To Help Agriculture - NPR 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. Georgia Public Radio GPTV, Oversight group isnt reviewing Georgia regents choice of Sonny Perdue. Perdues response? Not satisfied with fighting to take food off the tables of poor families, Perdue also set his sights on farm workers. 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. Trump announced just days before his own inauguration, on Jan. 20, 2017, that. [25] Perdue then used the new law on his 2004 tax return to defer $100,000 in taxable gains from the sale of land. In 2010, at the tail end of his second term as governor, Perdue named his cousin, David Perduewho had just stepped down as chief executive of Dollar General discount storesto the board of the Georgia Ports Authority. 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. 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. Perdue served in the U.S. Air Force, rising to the rank of captain before his discharge. [3], In 2004, Perdue sued the Environmental Protection Agency to block environmental regulations on reformulated gasoline. 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. But you know, obviously, you know, there's been a lot of talk recently about issues like critical race theory. [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. He would not be the first governor to move into academia: Former Gov. 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. Her name is Theresa McCartney, and she worked under Mr. Wrigley. The department did not provide further documentation that potential conflicts in 2017 were limited to AGrowStar and Pro Ag Products. He was sworn in by Supreme Court associate justice and fellow Georgian Clarence Thomas. 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. Both elections are set for Jan. 5, though early voting began on Monday. He stated that legitimate, measurable carbon trading could spur so-called carbon sequestration by giving farmers an incentive to innovate. [18], Perdue was elected as a Democrat in 1991, 1994, and 1996. Many credit Pierre Howard for helping Perdue build the early foundation of what would become his future political career.[20]. Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox. Steve Fennessy: So that's not something you can just push aside because you don't like what one of their family members is doing. We've been hearing that Gov. Thanks for listening. Here's Why", "USGS Release: Atlanta Flooding Sets New Records", "Gov. The Perdue USDA also insisted that federally funded grocery boxes distributed by food banks contain a letter signed by Trump, touting the administrations coronavirus response. [9], Perdue was born in Perry, Georgia, the son of Ophie Viola (Holt), a teacher, and George Ervin Perdue Jr., a farmer. 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. The Board of Regents named Dr. Sonny Perdue the 14th chancellor of the University System of Georgia effective April 1, 2022. Inexpensive, too! He also won reelection in 2000. Eric Stirgus: Sonny Perdue, you know, encouraged then-President Trump to endorse Brian Kemp in the Republican primary back in 2018. Later, FALF Management Trust was created. David Perdue is saying, "I'm the big Trump guy here." Perdue will begin his duties as the 14th chancellor on April 1, according to a press release from USG. Kemp is sort of paying back a favor. His selection has angered professors concerned about academic freedom. Steve Fennessy: How unusual is it for a letter like that to be written? Sonny Perdue plans to stay on amid Trump Cabinet shakeups 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. "You have got to have stuff where there is a lot of traffic. [40], In 2008, Perdue worked with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency to implement Ready Georgia, a campaign to increase disaster preparedness throughout the state. Steve Fennessy: News that Sonny Perdue will, in all likelihood be the university system of Georgia's next chancellor comes at a time when state legislators are debating bills about how racial history should be taught in classrooms. [News tape] FOX5: The Board of Regents has made its choice for the state's next chancellor. 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.. Monsters of 2020: Sonny Perdue - Mother Jones The North American Vexillological Association had deemed it the ugliest U.S. state flag. 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. 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. @SecretarySonny (to use his folksy Twitter handle) stayed the course that characterized his entire time at UDSA. It pays pretty well. Students and faculty members around the state are reacting to news that Republican former Gov. 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. Here to help us make sense of the implications of all this is Eric Stirgis, who covers higher education at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 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. 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. All Rights Reserved. I ran because I was frustrated with the government. 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 I understand that he wasn't the biggest supporter of the idea of Sonny Perdue as chancellor. Secretary Perdue was just chastised for his abuse of tax dollars for political purposes by ethics authorities, so we cannot take these claims at face value, he said. 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. [29] Perdue also created additional opportunities for charter schools and private schools. American Oversight is now calling on the inspector general to investigate whether Perdue improperly participated in any such decision, given his ethics pledge to stay out of any matters that might have a direct and predictable effect on the financial interests of the assets in his trusts. 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. "[45], The project overall has been scrutinized as a waste of taxpayer money due to mismanagement of bond money and extremely low visitors. [23] Prior to Perdue's becoming governor, no state agency had compiled an inventory of what assets were owned by the state. [67], Perdue's assets during his time as Secretary were placed in blind trusts, as is common to prevent financial conflicts of interest. 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. 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. But you know, we are hearing, you know, some of the newer members could be a lot more supportive of Sonny Perdue. So we have not had a chancellor at least, a non-interim chancellor for at least seven or eight months, right? Georgias public university system said on Tuesday that former Gov. Brian Kemp thinks so, and it looks like he's getting his way. Saeger, of Accountable.US, said the inspector general still needs to review that claim. These emergency benefits represent a 40% increase in . 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. Steve Fennessy: So there's a school of thought that Gov. I cant imagine Sonny Perdue doing that.. Senate Republicans aghast at Perdue's false election claims in - CNN [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. This is diversity and inclusion. Perdue is a kind of an easy-going Southern version of the president he served so zealously. 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. Donald Trump's agriculture secretary, Sonny Perdue, was confirmed April 24, 2017, and he will have a wide reach in his role. 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. This is Georgia Today. 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. Steve Fennessy: So how do you get a job to be chancellor? Opponents of the choice say Perdue's appointment would jeopardize academic freedom across the systems 26 campuses. 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. His nomination was transmitted to the U.S. Senate on March 9, 2017. [12] A 2005 tax bill passed by the Georgia Legislature allowed residents to gain a tax break if they sold a property in Georgia to buy similar property in another state, and made the change retroactive to 2004. 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. American Oversight and another watchdog group, Accountable.US, claim that violates Perdues 2017 agreement with ethics officials that he would restructure his original family trust and transfer all of its stock in Perdue Business Holdings to a new, irrevocable trust that wouldnt be overseen by or benefit the secretary. The first two companies are managed by Perdues children, according to Georgia records. [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. [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. The Board of Regents announced that the former Republican governor is its choice to become chancellor. This is Georgia Today. Georgia Today: Is Mayor Bottoms Paying The Political Cost For A COVID Crime Wave? 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. Trump said Friday that he has directed Perdue to provide at least $16 billion in relief. Kemp and Perdue are also close political allies, and Kemp recently replaced four members on the board before the vote. Raphael Warnock. Who is David Perdue? 8 things to know about the Georgia senator [News tape] CNN: The former president recruited the former Sen. David Perdue to mount a primary challenge to Gov. [8] Perdue served as Secretary of Agriculture throughout Trump's term. Trump Cabinet Member Sonny Perdue Appears To Acknowledge - HuffPost Eric Stirgus: Yes. Perdues spokesperson also rejected the watchdog groups request for an investigation as politically motivated. Is Sonny Perdue staking out any does he have a dog in this fight, at least publicly? It's us but for your ears. 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: Publicly, I don't think he's said one way or another right now. 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. Eric Stirgus: Good question. You know, looking at that and he can say that Gov. You know, I guess at the time, they sort of came to an impasse and there was a search firm that was hired to help with the process, but pulled out of the process. A longtime Atlanta-based journalist, he is a former editor-in-chief of Atlanta magazine. 10 Things You Didn't Know About Sonny Perdue - US News & World Report 260 14th St. NW 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? earned Perdue a knuckle-rap from the Office of Special Counsel, publicly for a way to cut federally mandated wages, lavished mainly huge soybean, hog, and cotton farmers, more than double the price tag of President Barack Obamas 2009 auto bailout, join us with a tax-deductible donation today. Brian Kemp is in a fierce battle with David Perdue. [25], In 2007, Perdue convinced a skeptical legislature to approve a $19 million fishing tourism program he called Go Fish Georgia. [News tape] parent at recent school board meeting, 11Alive: "I don't know how or why this would be debated.". Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has long been President Donald Trumps most effective advocate among rural voters. [24], On January 18, 2017, President Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Perdue to be United States secretary of agriculture. [News tape] Alex Ames, student activist, FOX5: And as governor, he chose to defund billions of dollars and begin, you know, a decades-long spree of defunding from our teachers and, you know, students and parent schools that we attend every day. Steve Fennessy: Welcome back to Georgia Today. A low-ball estimate of the value of storage in the grain silos was US$3 million. [46] After the state dropped out of the bidding and the land was sold to developers, the value of Perdue's property more than doubled. 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. I give him my full and total endorsement.". Eric Stirgus: There was some support on the regents, but not enough support to get him across the finish line to be named as chancellor. Our engineers are Jesse Nighswonger and Jake Cook. And you know, I think there have been a couple of state lawmakers who have publicly come out against the idea. She said that this is coming from a place of strength and not weakness. 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. Like Trump, he's a former Democratwho ascended to political power (in Perdue's case, Georgia. RELATED: Oversight group isnt reviewing Georgia regents choice of Sonny Perdue. Conley. It is no surprise that these made up accusations are coming out in the final weeks of October.