[52], During his tenure as Secretary of Agriculture, Perdue focused on helping new farmers get started in agriculture. And then also, I think, you know, there's been some criticism that he's not the best qualified person for the position. [42] The floods resulted in Perdue declaring a state of emergency in 17 counties. That's next. Your support makes this possible. I can't imagine Sonny Perdue doing that." [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. 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. [1][10] He grew up and still lives in Bonaire, an unincorporated area between Perry and Warner Robins. 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. In December 2001, Perdue resigned as state senator and devoted himself entirely to running for the office of Governor of Georgia. Brian Kemp thinks so, and it looks like he's getting his way. [7] Eric Stirgus: I think it's been a mix of both. [43], Beginning in 2007, Governor Perdue began to pursue the goal of making Georgia the "bass-fishing tourism mecca". 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. Using the CCC to hand billions to big farmersmajor Trump supporters in 2016 is a signature move of Perdues USDA. Perdue then decided that the Go Fish Education Center would be built down the road from his home. Steve Fennessy: OK, Sonny Perdue is, I think he's 75. Perdues response? One is looking at his record, as you know, the governor of Georgia. 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. Perdue is the first cousin of former U.S. Listen on Apple Podcasts. publicly condemned how the university system selected Mr. Perdue, will be the first woman to head the institution, a large-scale, low-cost online Master of Science degree program. I'm joined by Eric Stirgus, who covers higher education for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. [9], Perdue was born in Perry, Georgia, the son of Ophie Viola (Holt), a teacher, and George Ervin Perdue Jr., a farmer. 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. [47], Perdue was constitutionally ineligible to seek a third consecutive term as governor in the 2010 Georgia gubernatorial election. Kemp has used congressional redistricting to add more Sonny Perdue supporters to the Board of Regents. 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 U.S. Senate confirmed Secretary Perdue by a vote of 87-to-11 on Monday evening. You know, we reported as soon as we got the copy of the letter. 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. [3], In 2004, Perdue sued the Environmental Protection Agency to block environmental regulations on reformulated gasoline. Senator David Perdue by their grandfather George Ervin Perdue I. Jess Mador is the lead podcast producer at GPB News. Perdue will not improve the state of education as chancellor - he will only ruin it.. [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. So we have not had a chancellor at least, a non-interim chancellor for at least seven or eight months, right? Perdue is a cousin to Trump Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said today that he did not plan to step down from his Cabinet duties, amid reports that the president is getting ready to make several . [63], In August 2020, Perdue supported the president's re-election while promoting the Farmers to Families Food Box Program; Perdue was fined for violating the Hatch Act. Who hires the chancellor? 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. 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. Purdue merged the voter-fraud myth with another racist fantasy, also fervently indulged by Trump, that undocumented immigrants burden taxpayers by siphoning welfare benefits. Why is there 19? Donald Trump's agriculture secretary, Sonny Perdue, was confirmed April 24, 2017, and he will have a wide reach in his role. 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? Many credit Pierre Howard for helping Perdue build the early foundation of what would become his future political career.[20]. Later, FALF Management Trust was created. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms shocked manyby announcing last week she will not be running for reelection. [22], Perdue advocated reforms designed to cut waste in government, most notably the sale of surplus vehicles and real estate. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources figures showed 21,101 people visited the Perry facility in fiscal 2015, which ended June 30. Eric Stirgus: You know, he's never spoken publicly about it. 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. 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. That relationship famously has gone has gone south. "[37], According to a March 5, 2008, proclamation by Perdue, "Among those who served the Confederacy were many African-Americans, both free and slave, who saw action in the Confederate armed forces in many combat roles. Gov. 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: As you said, Sonny Perdue persuaded Donald Trump when he was president to endorse Brian Kemp. 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. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation. 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. Steve Fennessy: Welcome back to Georgia Today. Let's go into November and be against Stacey Abrams together.". 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. Governor Pierre Howard asking for more responsibilities, and Howard obliged. The department did not provide further documentation that potential conflicts in 2017 were limited to AGrowStar and Pro Ag Products. 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. You know, I've worked with him, but you know, I just didn't feel like, you know, he was the best person for the job. This week, officials on the Board of Regents announced Perdue is the sole finalist for the top job of chancellor. Georgia Public Radio GPTV, Oversight group isnt reviewing Georgia regents choice of Sonny Perdue. He was the only member of the Trump administration to endorse such a plan. Eric Stirgus: I think, you know, his critics have a couple of reasons that they're concerned. The association has publicly condemned how the university system selected Mr. Perdue, a process that largely occurred in meetings without faculty input and closed to the public. The new law saved Perdue $100,000 in state taxes. [News tape] 11Alive: He tweeted, "Brian Kemp is running for governor of the Great State of Georgia. What is that history? David Perdue is saying, "I'm the big Trump guy here." He was confirmed by the Senate on April 24,[49] with Bernie Sanders and nine Democrats voting against him. President Trump is endorsing Brian Kemp's Republican opponent in the primary, David Perdue, to be the next governor. Unquote. He left in June. Mr. Kemp had received Mr. Trumps endorsement in 2018, but their relationship deteriorated following the Kemp administrations refusal to undermine Georgias presidential election results in 2020. Steve Fennessy: What form has that opposition taken on college campuses or in academic circles? 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. 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. Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox. The North American Vexillological Association had deemed it the ugliest U.S. state flag. Eric Stirgus: The chancellor is hired by the Board of Regents as a 19-member body, and all of those folks are appointed by the governor and so they serve seven-year terms. "[35], In 2006, Perdue signed a law that gave Georgia "some of the nation's toughest measures against illegal immigrants. The former two-term Georgia governor has kept his cabinet post until the end, maintaining a close relationship with . Steve Fennessy: There's something else going on here. 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. [News tape] WSB: Gov. Eric Stirgus: Yes, I think the governor could certainly use this on the campaign trail and, you know, to, you know, David Perdue supporters and say, "Hey, look, you know, I've made Sonny Perdue, chancellor of the university system. His committee assignments included Ethics, Finance & Public Utilities, Health & Human Services, Reapportionment, and Economic Development, Tourism & Cultural Affairs. United States, Copyright 2023, Georgia Public Broadcasting. Sonny Perdue Is Sole Finalist to Lead Georgias Public Universities, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/15/us/sonny-perdue-georgia-chancellor.html. Eric Stirgus: Yes, definitely. [41] The next year, Georgia was affected by the September floods, which were the most severe in Georgia's recorded history. Our engineers are Jesse Nighswonger and Jake Cook. Perdue is one of the original Trump Cabinet appointees who remained by the president throughout the administration. 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. Trump announced just days before his own inauguration, on Jan. 20, 2017, that. [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. Feb. 15, 2022 Georgia's public university system said on Tuesday that former Gov. Eric Stirgus: You know, it's a pretty important job in the state of Georgia. Kudlow used the opportunity to fluff Trumps economic record. I'm Steve Fennessy. And then also there has been, through the congressional redistricting process, you know, because of some changes insome of the districts, you know, we've had two additional changes on the regents where two members are now no longer on the board and the governor has replaced another one of those members and all three of the members that he has replaced are people who have been, you know, very supportive of the governor in the past through campaign contributions and other ways. | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo. And Sonny Perdue was one of the only, if not the only cabinet member who went the distance in the Donald Trump administration. 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. Eric Stirgus: Yes. [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. [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. All Rights Reserved. The Board of Regents named Dr. Sonny Perdue the 14th chancellor of the University System of Georgia effective April 1, 2022.

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