Water Fountain Cord Stopper, Luling, Texas Breaking News, 6545 N 19th Ave, Phoenix, Az 85015, Smokey Robinson Really Gonna Miss You Apple Music, Articles W

But you know, we are hearing, you know, some of the newer members could be a lot more supportive of Sonny Perdue. [News tape] WSB: In a statement, Perdue said education funding was affected by twin recessions while he was governor. [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. Eric Stirgus: There have been some faculty members who have, you know, written letters to the University System of Georgia, you know, stating their opposition. Eric Stirgus: You know, and then there have been other instances where, you know, Sonny has supported now-Gov. Coronavirus-riddled slaughterhouses, in turn, emerged as primary vectors for spreading the pathogen to surrounding communities. He was confirmed by the Senate on April 24,[49] with Bernie Sanders and nine Democrats voting against him. 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. Steve Fennessy: How Gov. David Perdue is running against Democrat Jon Ossoff in one of two runoff elections in the state that will determine control of the U.S. Senate in the next Congress. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, payments on the Go Fish bonds, approved by Perdue and the General Assembly in 2007, runs through December 2027 with most payments $1 million a year in bond money. [56] The attrition rate was particularly high in the Resource and Rural Economics Division (90%) and in the Food Economics Division (up to 89%). 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. It pays pretty well. 260 14th St. NW Steve Fennessy: Sonny Perdue is a Republican, so when he uses an expression like Cultural Revolution, what is he referring to? 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". We noticed you have an ad blocker on. Perdue, a former US senator, has so far raised a fraction of what Kemp has in his campaign war chest. He was there at the end. You know, it's kind of a fascinating situation that, you know, your cousin is running for governor and at the same time his political opponent could be putting you in charge of one of the most important positions in state government. 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. Thanks for listening. So I think there is some concern out there among some of them. 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. They have to be in charge of making sure that the schools comply with federal education policies and procedures, state education rules and regulations. Sonny Perdue, of course, was a two-term governor of Georgia, as well as secretary of agriculture under former President Donald Trump. Its another death, wound, stab in the heart for anybody that works in the university system to have someone like this, he said. 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. But last year,. 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. [43], Beginning in 2007, Governor Perdue began to pursue the goal of making Georgia the "bass-fishing tourism mecca". She said that this is coming from a place of strength and not weakness. Brian Kemp and thought Trump thought his endorsement would spell immediate trouble for the incumbent. Brian Kemp: Obviously, this is huge for our campaign. 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. David Perdue now a U.S. senator to . GPB is committedto bringing you comprehensive news coverage from Georgia, across the country and around the world. [67], Perdue and his wife, Mary (ne Ruff), were married in 1972 after dating for four years. 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. The Perdue USDAs largesse to large-scale farmers and agribusinesses went beyond cutting wages and protective measures for their workers. The North American Vexillological Association had deemed it the ugliest U.S. state flag. You can keep up with Georgia today by subscribing to the show at GPB.org. [24], On January 18, 2017, President Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Perdue to be United States secretary of agriculture. Steve Fennessy: So there's a school of thought that Gov. 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. The terms of two of those members expired at the beginning of January, and Gov. 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. [24] During his governorship, Perdue collected at least $25,000 in gifts, including sporting event tickets and airplane flights. And so there are some ways to Sonny Perdue can help the university system of Georgia. 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. Entitled President Trumps Affection for American Farmers, the episode featured the host and former White House press secretary competing to see who could lavish the most praise on Trump. [42] The floods resulted in Perdue declaring a state of emergency in 17 counties. You know, he also backed Brian Kemp to fill the position of Secretary of State. 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. Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights. [70], Perdue is an avid sportsman. Steve Fennessy: How unusual is it for a letter like that to be written? Like Trump, he's a former Democratwho ascended to political power (in Perdue's case, Georgia. Senator David Perdue (R-GA) abstained, as they are first cousins. Eric Stirgus: Yes. [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. Sonny Perdue had campaigned on his cousins behalf during David Perdues 2020 re-election campaign, which he narrowly lost to Senator Jon Ossoff. [News tape] parent at recent school board meeting, 11Alive: "This isn't critical race theory. Why isn't he going back to his farm? What does it mean to be a chancellor? Kemp is sort of paying back a favor. The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry overwhelmingly approved his nomination on March 30, with a 191 vote. That's next. That relationship famously has gone has gone south. Perdue is a cousin to Trump Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. [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. 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. Eric Stirgus: And then there's been issues that a lot of Republican lawmakers have been bringing up to in the Georgia Legislature in recent years about campus speech issues that they feel that, you know, students and groups cannot speak freely on college campuses, particularly conservatives. [61][62], In February 2020, Perdue endorsed putting a price on carbon dioxide, a climate change policy favored by many economists. On April 1, 2022, Perdue took over as the system's 14th chancellor. 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. So those are some of the things that have concerned a lot of state leaders or particularly on the Republican side. Who hires the chancellor? 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. Perdue has long been Trumps most effective advocate among rural voters, visiting all 50 states to spread the presidents message and spearheading massive taxpayer aid programs that kept farmers afloat through Trumps trade war and the pandemic. Eric Stirgus: Good question. We'll be back next week. Quite honestly, I've been in the private sector for 30 years. He shortly thereafter became a committee chairman, then climbed the leadership ladder to majority leader and to Senate president pro tempore. His nomination was transmitted to the U.S. Senate on March 9, 2017. 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. 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. 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. [21] He became the first Republican governor of Georgia in 131 years since Benjamin F. Inexpensive, too! Sonny Perdue served two terms as the governor of Georgia, from 2003 to 2011. The former Georgia governor has a background in agriculture. And you know, I think there have been a couple of state lawmakers who have publicly come out against the idea. 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 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? By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from Mother Jones and our partners. His Democratic opponent was Lieutenant Governor Mark Taylor. [46] The land was eventually sold to developers; however, the state was evaluating bidding on the property and keeping it as a reserve. Eric Stirgus: He has some interest in the job because, you know, he realizes the importance of higher education to the state's economy. 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. 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. [27] In 2007, Georgia moved up to 46th place. [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. There's been some social media push against him. 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. Steve Fennessy: The governor appoints the regents on the Board of Regents; there's 19 of them. [28] In 2008, Georgia moved up again, to 45th place. [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. He enjoys flying and, in a 2003 incident, was accused of flying a state helicopter without a license. Can you pitch in a few bucks to help fund Mother Jones' investigative journalism? So tell us, what does the job of chancellor of Georgia universities and colleges entail? 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. 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. Then there were the full-on MAGA-bots like Sonny Perdue, the Georgia politician and agribusiness entrepreneur who became agriculture secretary. [25] Perdue signed the legislation into law on April 12, 2005, three days before tax day. Economists in the USDA's research branch were told to include disclaimers in their peer-reviewed publications stating that the findings were "preliminary" and "should not be construed to represent any agency determination or policy". [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. One is looking at his record, as you know, the governor of Georgia. Why is there 19? 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. He was the only member of the Trump administration to endorse such a plan. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources figures showed 21,101 people visited the Perry facility in fiscal 2015, which ended June 30. I mean, you know, there is one former member now, Phillip Lehi, who did, you know, say, Hey, I like Sonny Perdue personally. He also talked about, you know, bringing stability to the system. Kemp and Perdue are also close political allies, and Kemp recently replaced four members on the board before the vote. The administration began acquiring bond money for the Go Fish Education Center near his home in Perry, GA. 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.. Steve Fennessy: Yeah. Perdue served in the U.S. Air Force, rising to the rank of captain before his discharge. But Sonny Perdue was there from the beginning. Alec Poitevint, long a pivotal player in the Perdue network, is now backing Kemp over David Perdue. 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. He had even served as the 81st Governor of Georgia, and his tenure was from 2003 to 2011. The latest scrutiny stems from the agriculture secretary's wealth of current and former interests in agriculture, trucking and land development. [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. In July, with the economic fallout from the pandemic generating a massive hunger crisis, Perdue alighted on North Carolina, a key swing state, to stage a rally promoting congressionally mandated food aid as an example of the personal benevolence of Donald Trump. "There is one thing we know for sure: Sen. David Perdue will be . Meanwhile, in 2020, the pandemic ravaged meatpacking workers and put millions out of work, causing a surge in the need for food assistanceboth very much areas of concern for the agriculture department. This is Georgia Today. Sonny Perdue's . 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. Steve Fennessy: So the faction that was opposed or is opposed to the idea of Sonny Perdue as chancellor seems to be getting smaller. Perdue is poised within . However, most served in the early years of the war and were either forced at gunpoint or feared reprisals for disloyalty. Eric Stirgus: No, not officially, you know, because they are personnel decisions that the board makes. 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. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "As the vigil ended, the sun shone through what had been a cloudy morning. Listen on Apple Podcasts. Perdue, Trump's first and only agriculture secretary, is a notable exception. Kemp replaced them with two additional members. He also has largely avoided the sort of major scandals that have dogged many others in Trumps Cabinet. I'm going to read a paragraph towards the end of her letter. [18], Perdue was elected as a Democrat in 1991, 1994, and 1996. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters. 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? 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. 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. Terms of Service apply. And then a couple of months later, my colleague Greg Bluestein ran into him at an event and Sonny did say that he was interested in the position, if the regents would have him. Perdues spokesperson also rejected the watchdog groups request for an investigation as politically motivated. [54] In December 2018, he changed the nutrition standards for school lunches to allow more refined grains, allow milk with added sugar, and increased sodium. All Rights Reserved. The sole vote against him came from Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY). "[36], On November 13, 2007, while Georgia suffered from one of the worst droughts in several decades, Perdue led a group of several hundred people in prayer on the steps of the state Capitol. [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. There are probably about 48,000 employees in the university system, and they range from professors, assistant professors, you know, associate professors, guest lecturers, you know, everything from electricians to people who work in the cafeterias. [News tape] FOX5: The Board of Regents has made its choice for the state's next chancellor. We're a nonprofit (so it's tax-deductible), and reader support makes up about two-thirds of our budget. Her name is Theresa McCartney, and she worked under Mr. Wrigley. [53] In August 2017, he announced a mentoring program for new farmers. In his 2002 election campaign, Perdue promised that he would let the state's citizens vote to determine the state flag. 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." 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. Many credit Pierre Howard for helping Perdue build the early foundation of what would become his future political career.[20]. [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. 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. Mitch Daniels of Indiana has led Purdue University since 2012. Both elections are set for Jan. 5, though early voting began on Monday. He referenced the pandemic and the phrase "Cultural Revolution." Saeger, of Accountable.US, said the inspector general still needs to review that claim. 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. 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. Perdue then decided that the Go Fish Education Center would be built down the road from his home. [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]. His committee assignments included Ethics, Finance & Public Utilities, Health & Human Services, Reapportionment, and Economic Development, Tourism & Cultural Affairs. But should it go to a politician? 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. What's the implication there? Perdues response? After the sale, the huge boiler on the property was sold for approximately $500,000, easily covering the cost of the purchase even if the rest of the land had been valueless. 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. | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo. Eric Stirgus: Yes, definitely. You know, then there are many others outside the metro area. 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. [News tape] WSB: Gov. [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. Perdue announced the final relocation site in a letter that was distributed to employees Thursday morning. At least he is out of the gate. You know, we reported as soon as we got the copy of the letter. Eric Stirgus: You know, he's never spoken publicly about it. 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. 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. What Is Sonny Perdue Doing Now? Sonny Perdue on Confirmation to Lead Dept. Very few Republican elected officials, operatives, donors and activists in Georgia have. 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. 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. Perdue will begin his duties as the 14th chancellor on April 1, according to a press release from USG. [22], Perdue advocated reforms designed to cut waste in government, most notably the sale of surplus vehicles and real estate. [14][15], Perdue is not related to the family who owns and operates Perdue Farms (commonly associated with the brand "Perdue Chicken").[16][17]. Kemp has used congressional redistricting to add more Sonny Perdue supporters to the Board of Regents. Why is accreditation important for a university system like Georgia's? Sonny Perdue Is Sole Finalist to Lead Georgias Public Universities, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/15/us/sonny-perdue-georgia-chancellor.html. He served as his party's leader in the Senate from 1994 to 1997 and as president pro tempore. United States, Copyright 2023, Georgia Public Broadcasting. Dr. Sonny Perdue bio. So, you know, it'll be interesting to see. She currently produces the Georgia Today and Battleground: Ballot Box shows. But last year, he disclosed he had become trustee of a newly formed fund that includes many of the same assets as his original family trust. [6] His nomination was approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee by a 19-1 voice vote on March 30. Faster kill lines boost packer profits even as they put already pandemic-stressed workers under greater strain, while also making proper social distancing even more difficult. The U.S. Senate confirmed Secretary Perdue by a vote of 87-to-11 on Monday evening. Jess Mador is our producer. Georgias public university system said on Tuesday that former Gov. 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.