All Rights Reserved. [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. 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. 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. Kemp and Perdue are also close political allies, and Kemp recently replaced four members on the board before the vote. However, Perdue was faced with a Democratic House that would not allow the 1956 flag to be included in the referendum, due to its Confederate origins, and he needed support for a tobacco tax he wanted to pass to raise revenue. Steve Fennessy: Chancellor of the University System of Georgia it's one of the most coveted jobs in higher education. Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights. Trump announced just days before his own inauguration, on Jan. 20, 2017, that. That decision and the selection of Mr. Perdue are both intrusions on academic freedom, Mr. Boedy, the University of North Georgia professor, said. Perdue is a cousin to Trump Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. Terms of Service apply. So, you know, it'll be interesting to see. Steve Fennessy: You mentioned that there's a long political history between Sonny Perdue and Brian Kemp. [News tape] FOX5: Students against Sonny have collected more than a thousand signatures on a petition on Change.org. Earlier this week, Georgia's Board of Regents announced that Sonny Perdue was the sole finalist for the job. Steve Fennessy: How Gov. (David Perdue is now locked in a tight runoff election that could decide which party controls the Senate in the next Congress.). Eric Stirgus: Yes, definitely. [46], In December 2004, Perdue bought $2 million worth of land near Disney World from a developer who he had previously appointed to the state's economic development board. [27] In 2007, Georgia moved up to 46th place. And then also, you know, maybe among some who might be interested in working for the university system. Undeterred by the pandemic-led spike in hunger, Perdue also doubled- and tripled-down on a long-held goal: boosting work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that would eliminate food aid forat least 1.2 million peopleabout a third of them households containing senior citizens, nearly a quarter with children, and 11 percent with a disabled person, according tononpartisan think tank Mathematica. An investigationby the Food and Environment Reporting Networks Leah Douglas found that at least 40 percent of chicken plants operating at the higher speeds experienced COVID outbreaks, versus 14 percent for the overall meat sector. [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. Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, who like Grassley is up for reelection in 2022, said he hasn't "paid a lot of attention" to Georgia's governor race, saying "we got our hands full . At least he is out of the gate. Kemp. 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 would not be the first governor to move into academia: Former Gov. Then the pandemic hit, ripping through migrant farm worker communities, who toiled on with little in the way of protective gear or opportunities for social distancing. 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. [25] Perdue signed the legislation into law on April 12, 2005, three days before tax day. And I understand that he wasn't the biggest supporter of the idea of Sonny Perdue as chancellor. Trump said Friday that he has directed Perdue to provide at least $16 billion in relief. Steve Fennessy: What did you think when you first heard about that? Sonny Perdue may soon head up Georgias public university system. In April, before the Board of Regents selected Mr. Perdue, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges sent it a warning letter stating that the appointment of a former governor could place the accreditation of the institution(s) they govern in jeopardy.. [News tape] 11Alive: Critical race theory about whites, blacks and U.S. history, parents saying that CRT is now indoctrinating students disguised in the school system's initiatives on diversity, equity and inclusion. Steve Fennessy: Initial discussion about the possible candidacy of Sonny Perdue for chancellor for next chancellor of the University of Georgia System, the president of SACS, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Belle Whelan, sends a letter to the chair of the Board of Regents of Georgia. When you go this long without having a permanent chancellor on board, what signal does that send or how does that affect the operations of our schools? [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. Purdue merged the voter-fraud myth with another racist fantasy, also fervently indulged by Trump, that undocumented immigrants burden taxpayers by siphoning welfare benefits. Eric Stirgus: You know, and then there have been other instances where, you know, Sonny has supported now-Gov. In his 2002 election campaign, Perdue promised that he would let the state's citizens vote to determine the state flag. We'll be back next week. 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. [53] In August 2017, he announced a mentoring program for new farmers. Eric Stirgus: Well, there's been a few ways. The North American Vexillological Association had deemed it the ugliest U.S. state flag. So you have 14 members who serve each congressional district in Georgia, and then there are five at-large positions. Steve Fennessy: Welcome back to Georgia Today. These emergency benefits represent a 40% increase in . Steve Fennessy: So how do you get a job to be chancellor? One is there was a group of students who created a group called Students against Sonny. The watchdogs question whether the sale of AGrowStar and Pro Ag Products was enough to quash all potential conflicts. [52], During his tenure as Secretary of Agriculture, Perdue focused on helping new farmers get started in agriculture. Anyone can read what you share. Jess Mador is the lead podcast producer at GPB News. That relationship famously has gone has gone south. However, most served in the early years of the war and were either forced at gunpoint or feared reprisals for disloyalty. Some farmers ended up destroying perfectly good food. The Board of Regents announced that the former Republican governor is its choice to become chancellor. Eric Stirgus: You know, he's never spoken publicly about it. It pays pretty well. 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. 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. All Rights Reserved. [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. 11/08/2018 02:42 PM EST. [7] His appointment was approved by an 8711 vote by the Senate on April 24. I'm Steve Fennessy. Raphael Warnock. So tell us, what does the job of chancellor of Georgia universities and colleges entail? The Board of Regents is expected to confirm Perdue's appointment in the next two weeks. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Perdue will begin his duties as the 14th chancellor on April 1, according to a press release from USG. Or are they sometimes coming from outside it? [3], In 2006, Perdue was re-elected to a second term in the 2006 Georgia gubernatorial election, winning nearly 58% of the vote. Perdue announced the final relocation site in a letter that was distributed to employees Thursday morning. The administration began acquiring bond money for the Go Fish Education Center near his home in Perry, GA. [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. [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]. He shortly thereafter became a committee chairman, then climbed the leadership ladder to majority leader and to Senate president pro tempore. 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. Secretary Perdue did nothing wrong when he complied with his ethics agreement and followed the advice of career ethics officers at USDA (at considerable personal expense) to restructure his trusts.. Steve Fennessy: Sonny Perdue is a Republican, so when he uses an expression like Cultural Revolution, what is he referring to? Mitch Daniels of Indiana has led Purdue University since 2012. Perdue served in the U.S. Air Force, rising to the rank of captain before his discharge. [News tape] FOX5: Critics have questioned Perdue's experience, pointing out his lack of experience in the higher education setting. President Trump is endorsing Brian Kemp's Republican opponent in the primary, David Perdue, to be the next governor. Steve Fennessy: Well, there was also some changes that happened on the board itself, right? 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. 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. 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. 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. Dr. Sonny Perdue bio. Steve Fennessy: So what happened then? 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. The policy, according to the American Association of University Professors, is the only one of its kind in the country. [47], Perdue was constitutionally ineligible to seek a third consecutive term as governor in the 2010 Georgia gubernatorial election. On April 1, 2022, Perdue took over as the system's 14th chancellor. Sonny Perdue's . [13], In 1971, Perdue earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, and worked as a veterinarian before becoming a small business owner, eventually starting three small businesses. Here to help us make sense of the implications of all this is Eric Stirgis, who covers higher education at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. So let's go into November with me as your nominee.". 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. 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: 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. 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. (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. She currently produces the Georgia Today and Battleground: Ballot Box shows. Eric Stirgus: It was pretty newsy for us. | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo. Subscribe today and get a full year of Mother Jones for just $14.95. [21] He became the first Republican governor of Georgia in 131 years since Benjamin F. After Perdue took office, in 2003 and 2004, Georgia moved up from last place in the country in SAT scores. 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. [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]. Last month, the U.S. State Department said it will start processing more applicants seeking H-2A temporary. 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. I'm joined by Eric Stirgus, who covers higher education for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. I ran because I was frustrated with the government. 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. [News tape] CNN: The former president recruited the former Sen. David Perdue to mount a primary challenge to Gov. Sonny Perdue was its sole finalist to become chancellor, a choice that has outraged some professors and led a regional agency to threaten the accreditation of the 26-school system. Who hires the chancellor? 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.. 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. [40], In 2008, Perdue worked with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency to implement Ready Georgia, a campaign to increase disaster preparedness throughout the state. Perdue will not improve the state of education as chancellor - he will only ruin it.. [56] The attrition rate was particularly high in the Resource and Rural Economics Division (90%) and in the Food Economics Division (up to 89%). 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. 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. There is no conflict of interest in becoming a trustee of a trust that contains no conflicting interests.. Later, FALF Management Trust was created. Brian Kemp thinks so, and it looks like he's getting his way. Am I being naive to think that that that would be the case? 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: 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. Perdues response? Eric Stirgus: Sonny Perdue, you know, encouraged then-President Trump to endorse Brian Kemp in the Republican primary back in 2018. 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." She said that this is coming from a place of strength and not weakness. Sonny Perdue, of course, was a two-term governor of Georgia, as well as secretary of agriculture under former President Donald Trump. June 23, 2021. You know, there were some complaints that, you know, he was involved in some changes that, you know, made it a little bit more difficult for students to get the HOPE scholarship. 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. Yes, there is a acting chancellor. He was confirmed by the Senate on April 24,[49] with Bernie Sanders and nine Democrats voting against him. Steve Fennessy: What form has that opposition taken on college campuses or in academic circles? He left in June. I give him my full and total endorsement.". Copyright 2023 Mother Jones and the Foundation for National Progress. Georgias public university system said on Tuesday that former Gov. Your support makes this possible. He was the first Republican chosen by Georgians to occupy the governor's mansion since the Reconstruction-era election of Rufus Bullock in 1868. The office directed the USDA chief to reimburse the government for travel expenses and other costs of the event. 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. Thanks for listening. [News tape] 11Alive: He tweeted, "Brian Kemp is running for governor of the Great State of Georgia. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The staff of Mother Jones is highlighting the years heroes and monsters. On January 18, 2017, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Perdue to be Secretary of Agriculture. Perdue, Trump's first and only agriculture secretary, is a notable exception. [18], Perdue was elected as a Democrat in 1991, 1994, and 1996. So that's a little strange, isn't it? [8] Perdue served as Secretary of Agriculture throughout Trump's term. 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. And you know, I think there have been a couple of state lawmakers who have publicly come out against the idea. The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry overwhelmingly approved his nomination on March 30, with a 191 vote. [67], Perdue's assets during his time as Secretary were placed in blind trusts, as is common to prevent financial conflicts of interest. 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. You know, we reported as soon as we got the copy of the letter. The department did not provide further documentation that potential conflicts in 2017 were limited to AGrowStar and Pro Ag Products. And so now he's no longer on the regents. Perdue and the department have argued that the move will lower living costs, save . Conley. [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. Brian Kemp and thought Trump thought his endorsement would spell immediate trouble for the incumbent. 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. And you know, in saying, you know, this is why we, you know, we are concerned about Sonny Perdue becoming chancellor. Steve Fennessy: So the faction that was opposed or is opposed to the idea of Sonny Perdue as chancellor seems to be getting smaller. 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. So you've had recently, you know, the Board of Regents members serve seven-year terms. [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 terms of two of those members expired at the beginning of January, and Gov. [News tape] WSB: In a statement, Perdue said education funding was affected by twin recessions while he was governor. 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". [70], Perdue is an avid sportsman. Steve Fennessy: Yeah. Steve Fennessy: How big is the university system? Founder and partner in an agricultural trading company,[4] Perdue served from 2012 to 2017 on the Governors' Council of the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C.[3][5] He is the second secretary of agriculture from the Deep South; the first was Mike Espy of Mississippi, who served under President Bill Clinton from January 1993 to December 1994. [24] During his governorship, Perdue collected at least $25,000 in gifts, including sporting event tickets and airplane flights. 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.. 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. 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. 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. 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. I cant imagine Sonny Perdue doing that.. 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. 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. [51], Perdue was the designated survivor on January 30, 2018, for President Trump's first State of the Union address. He was sworn in by Supreme Court associate justice and fellow Georgian Clarence Thomas. 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.