So you've had recently, you know, the Board of Regents members serve seven-year terms. [News tape] WSB: In a statement, Perdue said education funding was affected by twin recessions while he was governor. It's a little off the beaten path. She currently produces the Georgia Today and Battleground: Ballot Box shows. Since joining the Trump administration, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue's complicated network of ties to Georgia-based entities including his family's company, Perdue Partners raised questions about potential conflicts of interest as well as his working relationship with his cousin, Georgia Sen. David Perdue. [40], In 2008, Perdue worked with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency to implement Ready Georgia, a campaign to increase disaster preparedness throughout the state. Why is there 19? 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. Steve Fennessy: Yeah. Eric Stirgus: Correct. [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. 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. [14][15], Perdue is not related to the family who owns and operates Perdue Farms (commonly associated with the brand "Perdue Chicken").[16][17]. 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. Governor Pierre Howard asking for more responsibilities, and Howard obliged. I'm going to read a paragraph towards the end of her letter. Janet Napolitano of Arizona, a Democrat, later ran the University of California system, and former Gov. 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. [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. 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. 11/08/2018 02:42 PM EST. He served two terms,. The staff of Mother Jones is highlighting the years heroes and monsters. 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. 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. Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation. What is it about this job that appeals to him? [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. But her critics have said thatwhat she calls a COVID Crime Wave and her handling of the firing of Atlanta police officer Garrett Rolfe, who shot Rayshard Brooks last summer, made her vulnerable if she had chosen to run. So you have 14 members who serve each congressional district in Georgia, and then there are five at-large positions. (Washington, D.C., April 22, 2020) - Today, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced emergency benefit increases have reached $2.0 billion per month for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households across all 50 states and 3 territories to increase food security during the coronavirus national emergency. Sonny Perdue on Confirmation to Lead Dept. Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights. Eric Stirgus: Yes, Sonny Perdue backed Kemp's state Senate bid in 2002. The other election pits Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler against the Rev. Quite honestly, I've been in the private sector for 30 years. Let's go into November and be against Stacey Abrams together.". He also won reelection in 2000. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. "[45], The project overall has been scrutinized as a waste of taxpayer money due to mismanagement of bond money and extremely low visitors. Looking at the pandemic, they've also had to take on some additional responsibilities, such as, you know, managing coronavirus relief funds. [6] His nomination was approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee by a 19-1 voice vote on March 30. Steve Fennessy: The last full-time permanent chancellor, why did they leave? That decision and the selection of Mr. Perdue are both intrusions on academic freedom, Mr. Boedy, the University of North Georgia professor, said. By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from Mother Jones and our partners. Ethics authorities have already issued warnings to a dozen Trump administration officials for violating the Hatch Act, but Perdues straightforward appeal to reelect Trump was seen as especially flagrant. Sonny Perdue Is Sole Finalist to Lead Georgias Public Universities, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/15/us/sonny-perdue-georgia-chancellor.html. How is that number arrived at? The United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry overwhelmingly approved his nomination on March 30, with a 191 vote. [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. But the threat is part of the latest controversy for the Board of Regents, which in October approved a new policy where universities can fire tenured professors with little to no faculty input. So we have not had a chancellor at least, a non-interim chancellor for at least seven or eight months, right? [18], Perdue was elected as a Democrat in 1991, 1994, and 1996. 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." [6] His nomination was approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee by a 191 voice vote on March 30. This week on Georgia Today, we look at some issues Bottoms faced during her tenure as mayor with CNN national correspondentRyan Young. Senator David Perdue (R-GA) abstained, as they are first cousins. Brian Kemp: Obviously, this is huge for our campaign. This is diversity and inclusion. The commitments entailed moving his holdings into a new trust and agreeing not to serve as a trustee or beneficiary of the fund. [22], Perdue advocated reforms designed to cut waste in government, most notably the sale of surplus vehicles and real estate. [47], Perdue was constitutionally ineligible to seek a third consecutive term as governor in the 2010 Georgia gubernatorial election. 260 14th St. NW Steve Fennessy: Well, let's unpack a little bit more this rather awkward political relationship going on. Sign up to receive GPB Event announcements via Email. 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. Not satisfied with fighting to take food off the tables of poor families, Perdue also set his sights on farm workers. [News tape] parent at recent school board meeting, 11Alive: "This isn't critical race theory. [57] Current and former employees of the ERS were strongly critical of the relocation to Kansas City, saying the resulting exodus of scientific and economic talent caused disruption to federal research, especially on climate change and food security. Come on board with me. Steve Fennessy: So I'm guessing that maybe he wants to stay out of this altogether, or do we know if he is going to make any kind of public statement endorsing one way or the other? According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "As the vigil ended, the sun shone through what had been a cloudy morning. 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. He won the 2002 Georgia gubernatorial election, defeating Democratic incumbent Roy Barnes 51% to 46%, with Libertarian candidate Garrett Michael Hayes taking 2% of the vote. I can't imagine Sonny Perdue doing that." Sonny Perdue and Brian Kemp have a longstanding relationship politically, and then you have Sonny Perdue's cousin who is running against the governor now in the GOP primary. He also talked about, you know, bringing stability to the system. Steve Fennessy: Welcome back to Georgia Today. Brian Kemp in Mays Republican primary. 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: And when Wrigley said he was going to retire, was there kind of a shortlist floated around of possible successors? What does it mean to be a chancellor? [24], In mid-2003, Perdue purchased 101 acres (0.41km2) of land next to his Houston County, Georgia, home. It's us but for your ears. Trump said Friday that he has directed Perdue to provide at least $16 billion in relief. Brian Kemp and thought Trump thought his endorsement would spell immediate trouble for the incumbent. He later served as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and was named chancellor of the University System of Georgia in 2022.. Background and Education 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. 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. 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. I ran because I was frustrated with the government. 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. 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. [25] Perdue then used the new law on his 2004 tax return to defer $100,000 in taxable gains from the sale of land. 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. Steve Fennessy: What did you think when you first heard about that? [46] The land was adjacent to the 20,000 acres (81km2) Oaky Woods preserve being sold by Weyerhaeuser. Critics argued that the deal should be investigated, and speculated that ADM, which spends millions of dollars on lobbying regardless, used the property sale as a bribe for favorable treatment. That's next. 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. Saeger, of Accountable.US, said the inspector general still needs to review that claim. One is there was a group of students who created a group called Students against Sonny. [23], In January 2003, Perdue signed an executive order prohibiting himself and all other state employees from receiving any gift worth more than $25. 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. The state's Board of Regents on Wednesday named a veteran finance official as the acting chancellor of Georgia's public university system, stalling former Gov. Please consider making a gift today to support this vital public service. 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. Eric Stirgus: Well, there's been a few ways. Find them all here. Yes. 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. (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. It is no surprise that these made up accusations are coming out in the final weeks of October. [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]. Steve Fennessy: What form has that opposition taken on college campuses or in academic circles? Sonny Perdue is cousins with David Perdue, who is now engaged in a bitter primary battle against Brian Kemp Brian Kemp, who, of course, is backing Sonny Perdue. Who hires the chancellor? Has he said, "I'm supporting the guy who's pushing my candidacy for chancellor" or "I'm supporting my cousin who's running against him"? The credits are meant to offset the environmental impact of land development and they can be bought and sold on the marketplace. Brian Kemp thinks so, and it looks like he's getting his way. The administration began acquiring bond money for the Go Fish Education Center near his home in Perry, GA. Steve Fennessy: Sonny Perdue is a Republican, so when he uses an expression like Cultural Revolution, what is he referring to? He switched party affiliation from Democrat to Republican in 1998 and was re-elected to the State Senate as a Republican. Steve Fennessy: Eric, you've covered higher education in Georgia for a lot of years. 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. Terms of Service apply. 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. The Washington Post detailed several wish-list items that ADM achieved: loosening of regulations on pork production, fewer inspections, helping lobby against proposed government bans on glyphosate by Thailand and Vietnam, and promoting ethanol and biodiesel. Georgias public university system said on Tuesday that former Gov. And so there are some ways to Sonny Perdue can help the university system of Georgia. The Georgia Public Library Service and the Georgia Archives . So let's go into November with me as your nominee.". 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. 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. 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. Steve Fennessy: How big is the university system? Students and faculty members around the state are reacting to news that Republican former Gov. And I understand that he wasn't the biggest supporter of the idea of Sonny Perdue as chancellor. On January 18, 2017, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Perdue to be Secretary of Agriculture. So Sonny Perdue is very much in the good graces of Donald Trump. After Perdue took office, in 2003 and 2004, Georgia moved up from last place in the country in SAT scores. There were so many cabinet members who who left, and then he had to appoint new ones. He's also a fierce advocate for Sonny Perdue to land the chancellor job, saying his experience . But you know, obviously, you know, there's been a lot of talk recently about issues like critical race theory. "There is one thing we know for sure: Sen. David Perdue will be . Perdue then decided that the Go Fish Education Center would be built down the road from his home. 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. 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. In July, as the general election heated up, the department tapped a Depression-era funding mechanism called the Commodity Credit Corporation to come up with $14 billionwithout having to consult Congressto hand to producers of commodities like corn, soybeans and wheat, ostensibly for losses due to the coronavirus. Earlier this week, Georgia's Board of Regents announced that Sonny Perdue was the sole finalist for the job. He served as his party's leader in the Senate from 1994 to 1997 and as president pro tempore. There is no conflict of interest in becoming a trustee of a trust that contains no conflicting interests.. I'm joined by Eric Stirgus, who covers higher education for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Steve Fennessy: It's interesting the the letter was addressed to Sachin Shailendra, who at the time was chair of the Board of Regents, but is one of those members who redistricting kind of pushed out so he's no longer on the Board of Regents. Like Trump, hes a former Democrat who ascended to political power (in Perdues case, Georgia governor) in a stunning upset. 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. GPB is committedto bringing you comprehensive news coverage from Georgia, across the country and around the world. 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. Can you pitch in a few bucks to help fund Mother Jones' investigative journalism? Like Trump, he's a former Democratwho ascended to political power (in Perdue's case, Georgia. 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. He had even served as the 81st Governor of Georgia, and his tenure was from 2003 to 2011. [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. He left in June. Former US Secretary of Agriculture and former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue were named chancellor of the University System of Georgia by the Board of Regents today (USG). Perdue is a cousin to Trump Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. Eric Stirgus: Correct. [27] In 2007, Georgia moved up to 46th place. 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? He was the first Republican chosen by Georgians to occupy the governor's mansion since the Reconstruction-era election of Rufus Bullock in 1868. Similarly, while the pandemic savaged meatpacking workers, killing at least 563 as of mid-December, the ag department kept on with a trend it had started in 2019: allowing giant poultry companies to speed up their slaughterhouse kill lines.
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