Eric Stirgus: I think it's been a mix of both. [61][62], In February 2020, Perdue endorsed putting a price on carbon dioxide, a climate change policy favored by many economists. 10 Things You Didn't Know About Sonny Perdue - US News & World Report His name is Sonny Perdue. He also won reelection in 2000. The Board of Regents named Dr. Sonny Perdue the 14th chancellor of the University System of Georgia effective April 1, 2022. We'll be back next week. 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. [69] Perdue lives in Bonaire, Georgia. The former two-term Georgia governor has kept his cabinet post until the end, maintaining a close relationship with . [14] He defeated Republican candidate Ned Sanders in 1990 and succeeded Democratic incumbent Ed Barker as the senator representing the 18th district. 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. On March 1, 2022, the Board of Regents of University System of Georgia appointed Perdue as the system's 14th chancellor, effective April 1, 2022. Mother Jones was founded as a nonprofit in 1976 because we knew corporations and billionaires wouldn't fund the type of hard-hitting journalism we set out to do. His nomination was transmitted to the U.S. Senate on March 9, 2017. [3], In 2004, Perdue sued the Environmental Protection Agency to block environmental regulations on reformulated gasoline. Steve Fennessy: OK, Sonny Perdue is, I think he's 75. The new law saved Perdue $100,000 in state taxes. Steve Fennessy: The governor appoints the regents on the Board of Regents; there's 19 of them. Am I being naive to think that that that would be the case? Personal: Perdue. She said that this is coming from a place of strength and not weakness. You know, we reported as soon as we got the copy of the letter. Revoking accreditation to schools including the University of Georgia, Fort Valley State and Georgia Southern would be a monumental step. [56] The attrition rate was particularly high in the Resource and Rural Economics Division (90%) and in the Food Economics Division (up to 89%). 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. Lance Cheung/USDA; Mother Jones Illustration. Senator David Perdue by their grandfather George Ervin Perdue I. Trump-backed Perdue struggles in Republican primary challenge in - CNN Atlanta, GA 30318 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. I mean, you know, there is one former member now, Phillip Lehi, who did, you know, say, Hey, I like Sonny Perdue personally. Steve Fennessy: So there's a school of thought that Gov. But ethics questions have piled up in recent months about the secretarys mixing of USDA duties and his political promotion of the president. Steve Fennessy: Sonny Perdue is a Republican, so when he uses an expression like Cultural Revolution, what is he referring to? You know, then there are many others outside the metro area. She says a lot of things. 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. [67], Perdue's assets during his time as Secretary were placed in blind trusts, as is common to prevent financial conflicts of interest. 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. A department spokesperson claims the 2017 agreement had to refer to the holding company at large, rather than those two firms in particular, because it was the legal entity that owned the businesses. 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. I give him my full and total endorsement.". 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. [43], Beginning in 2007, Governor Perdue began to pursue the goal of making Georgia the "bass-fishing tourism mecca". Eric Stirgus: His name is Steve Wrigley and he retired. And then also, you know, maybe among some who might be interested in working for the university system. A low-ball estimate of the value of storage in the grain silos was US$3 million. AGrowStar (including the assets acquired as part of the Estill deal) was sold by Perdue's trusts in 2018 for 12 million dollars, but due to the secretive nature of the trusts, this was not widely disclosed. [3], In 2006, Perdue was re-elected to a second term in the 2006 Georgia gubernatorial election, winning nearly 58% of the vote. Perdue led Ossoff in the . Steve Fennessy: You mentioned that there's a long political history between Sonny Perdue and Brian Kemp. He left in June. 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. The credits are meant to offset the environmental impact of land development and they can be bought and sold on the marketplace. 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. Perdues response? Georgia Public Radio GPTV, Oversight group isnt reviewing Georgia regents choice of Sonny Perdue. Eric Stirgus: During his time as agriculture secretary there was, you know, there's been some criticism about his record, you know, concerning issues such as climate change. Yes. [46] Perdue failed to disclose his ownership of the property in required financial disclosure forms. Perdue announced the final relocation site in a letter that was distributed to employees Thursday morning. 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. 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. David Perdue now a U.S. senator to . Sonny Perdue Facts - Who Is Sonny Perdue, Trump's Agriculture Secretary [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. Steve Fennessy: As you said, Sonny Perdue persuaded Donald Trump when he was president to endorse Brian Kemp. Perdue then decided that the Go Fish Education Center would be built down the road from his home. 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. Why Brian Kemp wants Sonny Perdue to lead Georgia's higher ed system He's a two-term former governor, Secretary of Agriculture. Steve Fennessy: When did we first hear that Sonny Perdue who was the outgoing Secretary of Agriculture in the Trump administration, of course a two-term former governor of Georgia was interested in the job of chancellor? Opponents of the choice say Perdue's appointment would jeopardize academic freedom across the systems 26 campuses. Sonny Perdue - New Georgia Encyclopedia Later, FALF Management Trust was created. [45], During his governorship, the Georgia State Ethics Commission received thirteen complaints against Perdue. 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. [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. 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. Sonny Perdue was its sole finalist to become chancellor, a choice that has outraged some professors and led a. [53] In August 2017, he announced a mentoring program for new farmers. How Perdue's power benefits his friends - POLITICO The income stemmed partly from the sale of conservation credits under a federal wetlands protection program. Kemp has used congressional redistricting to add more Sonny Perdue supporters to the Board of Regents. The design of the 2001 Georgian flag was widely unpopular, being derisively named the "Barnes flag". [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. Or are they sometimes coming from outside it? So Sonny Perdue is very much in the good graces of Donald Trump. Senate Republicans aghast at Perdue's false election claims in - CNN [7] 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. Sonny Perdue may soon head up Georgias public university system. But you know, obviously, you know, there's been a lot of talk recently about issues like critical race theory. Georgia Today is a production of Georgia Public Broadcasting. And so now he's no longer on the regents. 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. [18], Perdue was elected as a Democrat in 1991, 1994, and 1996. 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. The other election pits Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler against the Rev. 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? Report: ADM sold plant to Sonny Perdue weeks after being named Trump ag Its another death, wound, stab in the heart for anybody that works in the university system to have someone like this, he said. 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. [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. On January 18, 2017, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Perdue to be Secretary of Agriculture. Earlier this week, Georgia's Board of Regents announced that Sonny Perdue was the sole finalist for the job. Sanders: one of the the most fun, engaging, charming, and charismatic people Ive ever been around. Perdue: he has an amazing instinctive ability to make decisions.. Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, who like Grassley is up for reelection in 2022, said he hasn't "paid a lot of attention" to Georgia's governor race, saying "we got our hands full . Perdue will begin his duties as the 14th chancellor on April 1, according to a press release from USG. The department did not provide further documentation that potential conflicts in 2017 were limited to AGrowStar and Pro Ag Products. So very excited to have the president standing with us and I'm a lot like him. As governor, Perdue mastered the Trumpian strategy of using know-nothing bigotry as a beard for brazen self-dealing, sometimes involving his own family. It's a little off the beaten path. Last month, the U.S. State Department said it will start processing more applicants seeking H-2A temporary. But Sonny Perdue was there from the beginning. 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. Donald Trump's agriculture secretary, Sonny Perdue, was confirmed April 24, 2017, and he will have a wide reach in his role. He was there at the end. In December 2001, Perdue resigned as state senator and devoted himself entirely to running for the office of Governor of Georgia. Perdue claimed a combined $511,800 in income from Perdue Inc., a trucking company; Houston Fertilizer & Grain Co., which manages commercial real estate in Bonaire, Ga.; and StarPort Logistics LLC. What will Sonny Perdue do if he becomes Georgia system's - ajc Brian Kemp and thought Trump thought his endorsement would spell immediate trouble for the incumbent. He oversees 26 public colleges and universities with a $9.8 billion annual budget, 48,000 faculty and staff and more than 340,000 students.