ONE YEAR AGO: Perdue Skipped Critical Hearing on Military Families for Big Donor Event

A recent 11 Alive report showed that last year Perdue’s campaign promised “access” to big donors — and he chose them over a key hearing on military housing conditions

ATLANTA — Today marks the one year anniversary of Senator David Perdue putting his wealthy donors ahead of military families and skipping a critical oversight hearing focused on the poor housing conditions at facilities like Georgia’s Fort Benning to attend a high-dollar donor event.

A recent 11 Alive report revealed Perdue’s decision to flake on his senatorial responsibilities to meet in secret with his “Boardroom” of donors who were “buying access” with their campaign contributions. A year ago today, Perdue made his priorities clear when he was the only member of the sub-committee to skip a critical hearing on the poor housing conditions facing military families like those at Fort Benning. 

WATCH 11 Alive’s report:

Key points:

“All of that money pouring in…also spotlights Senator Perdue – who skipped a Senate committee meeting. The reason for missing the meeting? He was attending a donor event instead.”

“Perdue is a member of the sub-committee. Perdue missed the three hour meeting according to a transcript.”

“The ‘boardroom’ meeting with campaign donors started at 4 p.m. And Perdue joined them while the Senate sub-committee hearing continued, in his absence, a few blocks away.”

“[UGA Professor Charles Bullock:] ‘Missing a committee meeting…that directly impacts your constituency for a fundraiser? Probably not a smart idea.’”

“Perdue’s office released a statement…the statement did not address his scheduling that day nearly a year ago. We tried for days, but never got to chat with the senator.”

“Big donor lackey David Perdue has made it clear that he will always put the wealthy and well-connected ahead of everyday Georgians,” said Alex Floyd, spokesman for the Democratic Party of Georgia. “In 2020, Georgia voters are ready to hold Senator Perdue accountable for his out-of-touch priorities that let wealthy campaign contributors buy access to his time while he skipped out on his obligations to military families.”

READ MORE:

11Alive: Sen. Perdue attends donor event, skips hearing on military families

• This year’s election is expected to be the most expensive in history. And it spotlights a Georgia candidate – US Senator David Perdue (R-Georgia) – who skipped a Senate subcommittee meeting and attended a donor event instead.

• To get yearly donations from high-dollar supporters, Perdue formed what he calls “the Boardroom,” as disclosed by the Center for Public Integrity. 

• [UGA Professor Charles Bullock said] such donors are “buying access. So, you can have face time with the legislator. Or when you call the office, the receptionist puts you through to the legislator. That’s what you’re paying for if you’re a big-dollar donor.”

• Last year, Perdue had a “Boardroom” meeting scheduled with his biggest donors near the US Capitol Feb. 13 – on what turned out to be a busy workday for senators.

• That afternoon, a Senate Armed Services subcommittee held a sometimes-contentious hearing on a thorny issue over substandard military housing at Georgia’s Ft. Benning and other facilities nationwide.

• Perdue is a member of the subcommittee, but he missed the three hour meeting, according to a transcript.  Nineteen senators attended the hearing. Perdue was the only subcommittee member absent.

• The “boardroom” meeting with campaign donors started at 4 p.m. Perdue joined them while the senate subcommittee hearing continued, in his absence, a few blocks away.

• “Missing a committee or subcommittee meeting that directly impacts your constituency – for a fundraiser? Probably not a smart idea,” Bullock said.

• Perdue’s office released a statement saying the senator “has taken strong action to improve military housing at bases in Georgia,” but didn’t address his scheduling on Feb. 13, 2019.

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