There's been a lot of different issues that colleges are facing regarding social issues and political issues. Mitch Daniels of Indiana has led Purdue University since 2012. He served as his party's leader in the Senate from 1994 to 1997 and as president pro tempore. Eric Stirgus: Correct. A longtime Atlanta-based journalist, he is a former editor-in-chief of Atlanta magazine. [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. We've been hearing that Gov. 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. Why is there 19? 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. [22], Perdue advocated reforms designed to cut waste in government, most notably the sale of surplus vehicles and real estate. 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. 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. Sonny Perdue faces ethics questions over his business holdings | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo. Latest news, headlines, analysis, photos and videos on Sonny Perdue [25] Perdue then used the new law on his 2004 tax return to defer $100,000 in taxable gains from the sale of land. So you've had recently, you know, the Board of Regents members serve seven-year terms. The former two-term Georgia governor has kept his cabinet post until the end, maintaining a close relationship with . 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.. Trump announced just days before his own inauguration, on Jan. 20, 2017, that. There were so many cabinet members who who left, and then he had to appoint new ones. 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. 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. [28] In 2008, Georgia moved up again, to 45th place. 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. But ethics questions have piled up in recent months about the secretarys mixing of USDA duties and his political promotion of the president. 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. The latest scrutiny stems from Perdues wealth of current and former interests in agriculture, trucking and land development a complex web of trusts, land parcels, holding companies and subsidiaries. Steve Fennessy: So that's not something you can just push aside because you don't like what one of their family members is doing. The other election pits Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler against the Rev. Eric Stirgus: Yes, definitely. Trump-backed Perdue struggles in Republican primary challenge in - CNN Governor Pierre Howard asking for more responsibilities, and Howard obliged. Kemp. 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. 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. 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. 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. Caught in the middle of a Republican overhaul of education, teachers feel under attack, Senate bill cracks down on local school boards' ability to eject disruptive parents from meetings. Brian Kemp: Obviously, this is huge for our campaign. At least he is out of the gate. [58][59], Under Perdue, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) was accused of suppressing scientific publications for political reasons. Perdue is poised within . 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. Perdue and the department have argued that the move will lower living costs, save . The secretarys office contends he has complied with the agreement. Senate Republicans aghast at Perdue's false election claims in - CNN The . Is that right? 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. of Agriculture", "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 115th Congress 1st Session", "Sonny Perdue Named Chancellor of the University System of Georgia", "Meet David PerdueHe Might Be Georgia's Next Senator", National Governors Association: Sonny Perdue, "Trump taps former Georgia governor for agriculture secretary", "Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue Perdue Farms Plans Major Expansion in Georgia", "Official Results of the November 5, 2002 General Election", "Ethical Lapses Trail Nominee For Agriculture Conflicts of Interest as Governor of Georgia", "3 minutes, 1 tax bill, $100,000 for Sonny Perdue", "Georgia climbs in SAT rankings despite drop in score", "2008 SAT Results Highlight Need for Rigor", "Georgia View: Sonny Perdue's Non-Legacy", "Georgia leaders try to skip controversy in flag vote", "Tom Price, Kasim Reed, Sonny Perdue and the Art of the Georgia Deal", "Statement of Governor Sonny Perdue Regarding Court Ruling to Stay Transition to Reformulated Gasoline", "Georgia Enacts a Tough Law on Immigrants", The Confederate and Neo-Confederate Reader: The "Great Truth", "Trump could name Agriculture Secretary whose drought strategy was to pray for rain", "Yes, There Were Black Confederates. Georgia Public Radio GPTV, Oversight group isnt reviewing Georgia regents choice of Sonny Perdue. Sonny Perdue age, height, net worth 2023, wife, girlfriend, kids "[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. 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." 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. He also won reelection in 2000. 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. How is that number arrived at? 260 14th St. NW [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. RELATED: Oversight group isnt reviewing Georgia regents choice of Sonny Perdue. Revoking accreditation to schools including the University of Georgia, Fort Valley State and Georgia Southern would be a monumental step. 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. Why isn't he going back to his farm? [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: He has some interest in the job because, you know, he realizes the importance of higher education to the state's economy. [1][10] He grew up and still lives in Bonaire, an unincorporated area between Perry and Warner Robins. Eric Stirgus: Yes, Sonny Perdue backed Kemp's state Senate bid in 2002. He's a two-term former governor, Secretary of Agriculture. Eric Stirgus: No, not officially, you know, because they are personnel decisions that the board makes. Sonny Perdue has long mixed personal and political business to benefit his friends and business associates and he's on track to do it again. Kemp replaced them with two additional members. Eric Stirgus: Yeah it's an important issue because, you know, colleges and universities that do not have accreditation, they can their students cannot get federal financial aid that helps pay for tuition for a lot of college students. We're a nonprofit (so it's tax-deductible), and reader support makes up about two-thirds of our budget. [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]. Georgia Today: Is Mayor Bottoms Paying The Political Cost For A COVID Crime Wave? You know, Steve Wrigley, you know, he worked in the university system before he became chancellor, so he did have some of that experience. That's next. 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. 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. Dr. Sonny Perdue bio. Brian Kemp in Mays Republican primary. 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". [46] The land was adjacent to the 20,000 acres (81km2) Oaky Woods preserve being sold by Weyerhaeuser. Sonny Perdue Is Sole Finalist to Lead Georgia's Public Universities So Sonny Perdue is very much in the good graces of Donald Trump. You know, there was a faction of regents members who were not supportive of him at all. So without that accreditation, it could severely impact, you know, enrollment. You know, looking at that and he can say that Gov. 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. He was sworn in by Supreme Court associate justice and fellow Georgian Clarence Thomas. He was the only member of the Trump administration to endorse such a plan. From the year 2017 to 2021, George has served as the 31st United States Secretary Of Agriculture. Sonny Perdue served two terms as governor of Georgia before being named Agriculture Secretary in the Trump administration. [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. As governor, Perdue mastered the Trumpian strategy of using know-nothing bigotry as a beard for brazen self-dealing, sometimes involving his own family. 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. 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. Unquote. Why is Sonny Perdue is such a polarizing figure? 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. She says a lot of things. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Listen on Apple Podcasts. Brian Kemp thinks so, and it looks like he's getting his way. [64][65][66], In June 2021, a news story broke of financial dealings Perdue had after his nomination as Secretary of Agriculture but before his confirmation. But then prior to him, you had Errol Davis, who was a utilities company executive and he had no administrative experience in higher education. [29] Perdue also created additional opportunities for charter schools and private schools. Is Sonny Perdue staking out any does he have a dog in this fight, at least publicly? We noticed you have an ad blocker on. Perdue bids farewell: 'We put American agriculture first' - AgriNews 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. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources figures showed 21,101 people visited the Perry facility in fiscal 2015, which ended June 30. 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. [46] The land was eventually sold to developers; however, the state was evaluating bidding on the property and keeping it as a reserve. That decision and the selection of Mr. Perdue are both intrusions on academic freedom, Mr. Boedy, the University of North Georgia professor, said. [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. He also has largely avoided the sort of major scandals that have dogged many others in Trumps Cabinet. Sonny Perdue's Ties to His Family Business - American Oversight Our engineers are Jesse Nighswonger and Jake Cook. 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. [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. [47], Perdue was constitutionally ineligible to seek a third consecutive term as governor in the 2010 Georgia gubernatorial election. He won his first term in 2014 by fewer than 8 percentage points. Please consider making a gift today to support this vital public service. OPINION: Incoming USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue is not an ally for Brian Kemp: That's why I'm looking forward to working with the members of the General Assembly this legislative session to protect our students from the divisive ideologies like critical race theory. 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. 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. 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. Trump Cabinet Member Sonny Perdue Appears To Acknowledge - HuffPost [7] His appointment was approved by an 8711 vote by the Senate on April 24. White House Seeks To Lower Farmworker Pay To Help Agriculture - NPR 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. Come on board with me. Eric Stirgus: Well, he didn't go into specifics that day. That relationship famously has gone has gone south. Sonny Perdue - New Georgia Encyclopedia Across the state, teachers have found themselves caught in a conservative battle to ban divisive topics from classrooms, which Republican lawmakers define as a various list of ideas regarding race. Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox. So those are some of the things that have concerned a lot of state leaders or particularly on the Republican side. Georgia's higher ed system taps acting leader, passing on Sonny Perdue So very excited to have the president standing with us and I'm a lot like him. Perdue wrote that "liberals have lost all credibility when it comes to climate science because their arguments have become so ridiculous and so obviously disconnected from reality. Sonny Perdue, of course, was a two-term governor of Georgia, as well as secretary of agriculture under former President Donald Trump. 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. 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. Perdue is one of the original Trump Cabinet appointees who remained by the president throughout the administration. [46] Perdue failed to disclose his ownership of the property in required financial disclosure forms. Eric Stirgus: You know, he's never spoken publicly about it. 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. Georgia Today is a production of Georgia Public Broadcasting. The policy, according to the American Association of University Professors, is the only one of its kind in the country. 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. This is diversity and inclusion. Sonny Perdue served two terms as the governor of Georgia, from 2003 to 2011. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters. He left in June. [News tape] FOX5: The Board of Regents has made its choice for the state's next chancellor. 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 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. So I think there is some concern out there among some of them. Steve Fennessy: So the faction that was opposed or is opposed to the idea of Sonny Perdue as chancellor seems to be getting smaller. Sonny Perdue won the 2002 Georgia governor's race, defeating the incumbent, Democrat Roy Barnes, to become the state's first Republican governor since Reconstruction. 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. At the beginning of 2020, Perdue yearned publicly for a way to cut federally mandated wages for migrant farm workers on guest visas. A low-ball estimate of the value of storage in the grain silos was US$3 million. So, you know, we've been hearing that this from faculty members who have been upset about, you know, some of his credentials in that space. [News tape] 11Alive: He tweeted, "Brian Kemp is running for governor of the Great State of Georgia. On April 1, 2022, Perdue took over as the system's 14th chancellor. [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. Sonny Perdue: Latest News, Top Stories & Analysis - POLITICO [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. I'm joined by Eric Stirgus, who covers higher education for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The department did not provide further documentation that potential conflicts in 2017 were limited to AGrowStar and Pro Ag Products. They have to be in charge of making sure that the schools comply with federal education policies and procedures, state education rules and regulations. How Trump's Food Box Initiative Overpaid And Underdelivered Perdue and a partner purchased the agricultural land in 2009 and later earned so-called mitigation bank credits for converting the tract for wetland conservation purposes, according to the watchdog organizations. But you know, we are hearing, you know, some of the newer members could be a lot more supportive of Sonny Perdue. And then also, I think, you know, there's been some criticism that he's not the best qualified person for the position. He stated that legitimate, measurable carbon trading could spur so-called carbon sequestration by giving farmers an incentive to innovate. 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. 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. And you know, for a lot of critics, you know, it did raise their concerns about all of this. Steve Fennessy: What did you think when you first heard about that? The latest scrutiny stems from the agriculture secretary's wealth of current and former interests in agriculture, trucking and land development. I cant imagine Sonny Perdue doing that.. "You have got to have stuff where there is a lot of traffic. In fact, for the next two weeks after the prayer, the state's epic dry streak grew worse. Perdue served in the U.S. Air Force, rising to the rank of captain before his discharge. 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. 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.
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