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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. And then also, you know, maybe among some who might be interested in working for the university system. A longtime Atlanta-based journalist, he is a former editor-in-chief of Atlanta magazine. By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from Mother Jones and our partners. We noticed you have an ad blocker on. Sonny Perdue was its sole finalist to become chancellor, a choice that has outraged some professors and led a. 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. Perdue is one of the original Trump Cabinet appointees who remained by the president throughout the administration. [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. [24], In mid-2003, Perdue purchased 101 acres (0.41km2) of land next to his Houston County, Georgia, home. 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. Not satisfied with fighting to take food off the tables of poor families, Perdue also set his sights on farm workers. One is there was a group of students who created a group called Students against Sonny. Eric Stirgus: It was pretty newsy for us. Is Sonny Perdue staking out any does he have a dog in this fight, at least publicly? There is no conflict of interest in becoming a trustee of a trust that contains no conflicting interests.. 11/08/2018 02:42 PM EST. You know, looking at that and he can say that Gov. [News tape] WSB: In a statement, Perdue said education funding was affected by twin recessions while he was governor. So you've had recently, you know, the Board of Regents members serve seven-year terms. "[45], The project overall has been scrutinized as a waste of taxpayer money due to mismanagement of bond money and extremely low visitors. [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. Terms of Service apply. 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. You know, then there are many others outside the metro area. [52], During his tenure as Secretary of Agriculture, Perdue focused on helping new farmers get started in agriculture. Perdue served in the U.S. Air Force, rising to the rank of captain before his discharge. 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. [32] Perdue disappointed some Georgians by not making the 1956 flag one of the choices on the ballot, despite a campaign promise to do so. 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." 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. [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. This is Georgia Today. In December 2001, Perdue resigned as state senator and devoted himself entirely to running for the office of Governor of Georgia. The credits are meant to offset the environmental impact of land development and they can be bought and sold on the marketplace. Kemp replaced them with two additional members. 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. [28] In 2008, Georgia moved up again, to 45th place. As governor, Perdue mastered the Trumpian strategy of using know-nothing bigotry as a beard for brazen self-dealing, sometimes involving his own family. [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. "You have got to have stuff where there is a lot of traffic. [News tape] CNN: The former president recruited the former Sen. David Perdue to mount a primary challenge to Gov. [67], Perdue and his wife, Mary (ne Ruff), were married in 1972 after dating for four years. 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. Now to me, Eric, that sounds like a kind of an implied threat that appointing Sonny Perdue as chancellor could mean that we'd lose accreditation. 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. His Democratic opponent was Lieutenant Governor Mark Taylor. Sonny Perdue Is Sole Finalist to Lead Georgias Public Universities, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/15/us/sonny-perdue-georgia-chancellor.html. The new law saved Perdue $100,000 in state taxes. Why is Sonny Perdue is such a polarizing figure? [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. So I think there is some concern out there among some of them. Jess Mador is our producer. The Board of Regents announced that the former Republican governor is its choice to become chancellor. Eric Stirgus: Yes, definitely. Here to help us make sense of the implications of all this is Eric Stirgis, who covers higher education at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. There were so many cabinet members who who left, and then he had to appoint new ones. They have to be in charge of making sure that the schools comply with federal education policies and procedures, state education rules and regulations. | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo. SteveFennessyis host of Georgia Today,a weekly radio show and podcast on Georgia Public Broadcasting thatexplains stories of interest to Georgians through the experience and perspective of the reporters covering those stories. The Board of Regents named Dr. Sonny Perdue the 14th chancellor of the University System of Georgia effective April 1, 2022. 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. Sonny Perdue issues state of emergency for 17 Georgia counties", "Perdue fails to disclose '04 purchase of land", "Trump to announce Sonny Perdue for Agriculture", "Sonny Perdue Sworn in as 31st U.S. Secretary of Agriculture", "Trump hires campaign workers instead of farmworkers at USDA", "Sonny Perdue is Trump's 'designated survivor' for State of the Union 2018", "Perdue tells second Iowa Ag Summit he wants to support new farmers", "Trump administration to return refined grains to school lunches", Many USDA workers to quit as research agencies move to Kansas City: 'The brain drain we all feared', ERS union predicts mass exodus ahead of relocation, 'Cut, Relocate, Eviscerate': Moving a USDA Research Agency Will Have Lasting Consequences, Employees Say, Economists flee Agriculture Dept. Donald Trump's agriculture secretary, Sonny Perdue, was confirmed April 24, 2017, and he will have a wide reach in his role. [45], During his governorship, the Georgia State Ethics Commission received thirteen complaints against Perdue. 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 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". Through it all, Perdue maintained his extraordinary podcast, The Sonnyside of the Farm, a monthly testament to the genius of his boss and the glory of big agribusiness. Why is there 19? He was the first Republican chosen by Georgians to occupy the governor's mansion since the Reconstruction-era election of Rufus Bullock in 1868. But should it go to a politician? She currently produces the Georgia Today and Battleground: Ballot Box shows. 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". [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. Presumably, some political appointees who served in the Trump administration did so with earnest intentions, hoping to bring dignity and professionalism to the task of advancing the Republican agenda of deregulation, austerity (for non-cronies), and upward wealth redistribution. Brian Kemp: Obviously, this is huge for our campaign. 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. [News tape] WSB: As governor, Perdue's record on education is also being called into question. Jess Mador is the lead podcast producer at GPB News. Eric Stirgus: Last March, we started hearing talk you know that Perdue was interested in the job or that some board members on the Board of Regents were interested in him becoming chancellor. (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. Mr. Perdue served two terms as governor from 2003 to 2011, and later became Secretary of Agriculture under President Donald J. Trump. The former Georgia governor has a background in agriculture. [News tape] WSB: He called being named a finalist a quote wonderful capstone to a career in public service. 260 14th St. NW These emergency benefits represent a 40% increase in . The likely appointment of Mr. Perdue, a Republican, comes during a volatile time in Georgia politics, with the State Legislature considering several bills that would ban, or limit, how race and activism are taught in the classroom. Brian Kemp thinks so, and it looks like he's getting his way. And then also, I think, you know, there's been some criticism that he's not the best qualified person for the position. The board cited Perdue's, quote, "vast understanding of the issues facing the university system," unquote. It is no surprise that these made up accusations are coming out in the final weeks of October. I'm joined by Eric Stirgus, who covers higher education for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Perdue restructured his original family trust into a new fund that he did not oversee, and the fund then sold off two of his businesses directly involved in agriculture the only assets that posed potential conflicts, according to a USDA spokesperson. 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. [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. [29] Perdue also created additional opportunities for charter schools and private schools. 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. 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. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources figures showed 21,101 people visited the Perry facility in fiscal 2015, which ended June 30. 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. Why are we still talking about this, then? Sonny Perdue won the 2002 Georgia governor's race, defeating the incumbent, Democrat Roy Barnes, to become the state's first Republican governor since Reconstruction. Senator David Perdue (R-GA) abstained, as they are first cousins. 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. Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation. Can you pitch in a few bucks to help fund Mother Jones' investigative journalism? Mother Jones was founded as a nonprofit in 1976 because we knew corporations and billionaires wouldn't fund the type of hard-hitting journalism we set out to do. All Rights Reserved. I cant imagine Sonny Perdue doing that.. [News tape] parent at recent school board meeting, 11Alive: "This isn't critical race theory. 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. Steve Fennessy: Chancellor of the University System of Georgia it's one of the most coveted jobs in higher education. [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. That relationship famously has gone has gone south. In 2011, he founded Perdue Partners, which facilitated the export of U.S. goods and services. 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. Not that Perdue lacks national stature - he was the governor of Georgia, a heavily agricultural state, from 2003 to 2011. 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. Eric Stirgus: He has some interest in the job because, you know, he realizes the importance of higher education to the state's economy. 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. "The. [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. 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.. Can you pitch in a few bucks to help fund Mother Jones' investigative journalism? 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. 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. Trump said Friday that he has directed Perdue to provide at least $16 billion in relief. He also has largely avoided the sort of major scandals that have dogged many others in Trumps Cabinet. Our engineers are Jesse Nighswonger and Jake Cook. Inexpensive, too! You know, he also backed Brian Kemp to fill the position of Secretary of State. The design of the 2001 Georgian flag was widely unpopular, being derisively named the "Barnes flag". Lance Cheung/USDA; Mother Jones Illustration. Her name is Theresa McCartney, and she worked under Mr. Wrigley. Sonny Perdue on Confirmation to Lead Dept. 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? Eric Stirgus: Yes. You know, there was a faction of regents members who were not supportive of him at all. [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. That decision and the selection of Mr. Perdue are both intrusions on academic freedom, Mr. Boedy, the University of North Georgia professor, said. Perdue, Trump's first and only agriculture secretary, is a notable exception. She says a lot of things. Unquote. 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. I'm Steve Fennessy. Kemp and Perdue are also close political allies, and Kemp recently replaced four members on the board before the vote. 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. Eric Stirgus: Sonny Perdue, you know, encouraged then-President Trump to endorse Brian Kemp in the Republican primary back in 2018. Sonny Perdue, of course, was a two-term governor of Georgia, as well as secretary of agriculture under former President Donald Trump. The commitments entailed moving his holdings into a new trust and agreeing not to serve as a trustee or beneficiary of the fund. Sonny Perdue may soon head up Georgias public university system. [7] His appointment was approved by an 8711 vote by the Senate on April 24. The crux of the watchdog complaint comes down to a handful of Perdues businesses the secretary reported as sources of income, at least a half-million dollars, on his 2019 filing. In the podcasts final episode before the election, released Oct. 29, Perdue hosted another MAGA loyalist, the high-living former Wall Street man and TV personality Larry Kudlow, the non-economist who Trump improbably chose to lead the National Economic Council. 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. 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. Steve Fennessy: The governor appoints the regents on the Board of Regents; there's 19 of them. [23], In January 2003, Perdue signed an executive order prohibiting himself and all other state employees from receiving any gift worth more than $25. Both elections are set for Jan. 5, though early voting began on Monday. But you know, we are hearing, you know, some of the newer members could be a lot more supportive of Sonny Perdue. 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. 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. 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. [56] The attrition rate was particularly high in the Resource and Rural Economics Division (90%) and in the Food Economics Division (up to 89%). Saeger, of Accountable.US, said the inspector general still needs to review that claim. Please consider making a gift today to support this vital public service. [19] After his first year in office, Senator Perdue wrote then Lt. He enjoys flying and, in a 2003 incident, was accused of flying a state helicopter without a license. But ethics questions have piled up in recent months about the secretarys mixing of USDA duties and his political promotion of the president. In 2018, while Perdue was secretary, Soque River Conservation asked the Army Corps to modify the credits held by the company in a way that could boost its value by nearly $3 million, the groups estimate. [24], On January 18, 2017, President Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Perdue to be United States secretary of agriculture. Sonny Perdue served two terms as governor of Georgia before being named Agriculture Secretary in the Trump administration. 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. 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. Steve Fennessy: Well, let's unpack a little bit more this rather awkward political relationship going on. 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. 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. 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. 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. Its another death, wound, stab in the heart for anybody that works in the university system to have someone like this, he said. 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? [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. [News tape] FOX5: Critics have questioned Perdue's experience, pointing out his lack of experience in the higher education setting. 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.. 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. One is looking at his record, as you know, the governor of Georgia. I give him my full and total endorsement.". [51], Perdue was the designated survivor on January 30, 2018, for President Trump's first State of the Union address. But Sonny Perdue was there from the beginning. 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. On January 18, 2017, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Perdue to be Secretary of Agriculture. He later served as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and was named chancellor of the University System of Georgia in 2022.. Background and Education He was there at the end. His committee assignments included Ethics, Finance & Public Utilities, Health & Human Services, Reapportionment, and Economic Development, Tourism & Cultural Affairs. Steve Fennessy: You mentioned that there's a long political history between Sonny Perdue and Brian Kemp. He served two terms,. The board cited Perdue's, quote, "vast understanding of the issues facing the university system," unquote. [46] The land was adjacent to the 20,000 acres (81km2) Oaky Woods preserve being sold by Weyerhaeuser. [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. Libertarian Garrett Michael Hayes was also on the ballot. A USDA spokesperson denied Perdue was involved and said holding such land doesnt conflict with his duties as secretary. The reallocation entailed raising the companys holdings of highly valuable wetlands credits while lowering its portion of much cheaper stream credits. 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. Steve Fennessy: So how do you get a job to be chancellor? . Eric Stirgus: Most of them are designated by congressional district. Eric Stirgus: Now, you know, conversely, his supporters say he was a governor of Georgia for eight years. Steve Fennessy: So what happened then? [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. 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. We're a nonprofit (so it's tax-deductible), and reader support makes up about two-thirds of our budget. [9], Perdue was born in Perry, Georgia, the son of Ophie Viola (Holt), a teacher, and George Ervin Perdue Jr., a farmer. Like Trump, hes a former Democrat who ascended to political power (in Perdues case, Georgia governor) in a stunning upset. [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. Steve Fennessy: Eric, you've covered higher education in Georgia for a lot of years.