As the Environmental Working Group advocacy organization noted in a separate investigation of the former governor’s time in office, Perdue also signed state tax legislation — backed in the state legislature by his personal lawyer — that gave him a $100,000 tax break on a land deal.
The tax break was among a laundry list of other “ethical lapses” the EWG outlined in its report. Others included Perdue taking “joy rides” in state helicopters, refusing to put his businesses in a blind trust and appointing political donors and business partners to lead state agencies and boards.
Colin O’Neil, the EWG’s agricultural policy director, described these lapses as running counter to Trump’s campaign promise to “drain the swamp” in Washington.
“I think the more that we learn about Sonny Perdue’s tenure as governor in Georgia, the more concerns and red flags are raised,” O’Neil told HuffPost. “To anyone looking from the outside, this is not draining the swamp, this is bringing the swamp to Washington.”
POLITICS 03/15/2017 06:25 pm ET
Donald Trump’s Agriculture Pick Has Some Serious Ethics Issues, Too
The tax break was among a laundry list of other “ethical lapses” the EWG outlined in its report. Others included Perdue taking “joy rides” in state helicopters, refusing to put his businesses in a blind trust and appointing political donors and business partners to lead state agencies and boards.
Colin O’Neil, the EWG’s agricultural policy director, described these lapses as running counter to Trump’s campaign promise to “drain the swamp” in Washington.
“I think the more that we learn about Sonny Perdue’s tenure as governor in Georgia, the more concerns and red flags are raised,” O’Neil told HuffPost. “To anyone looking from the outside, this is not draining the swamp, this is bringing the swamp to Washington.”
POLITICS 03/15/2017 06:25 pm ET
Donald Trump’s Agriculture Pick Has Some Serious Ethics Issues, Too
