The Senate confirmed Former Texas governor Rick Perry to head the Energy Department. Here's what you need to know about him. (Bastien Inzaurralde,Julio Negron,Osman Malik/The Washington Post) 
 
 Bobby Brooks, a junior at Texas A&M, made history this month when he was elected as the university’s first openly gay student body president. 
 
 Nearly two decades prior, Rick Perry, also an A&M alumnus, made his own bit of university history when he became the first Aggie to serve as governor of Texas. 
 
 But for their shared school pride, these men and their accomplishments had nothing to do with each other. 
 
 That changed Wednesday, when Perry, the country’s current energy secretary, chose to plunge into campus politics, claiming publicly that Brooks stole the election from another student. 
 
 That student, Robert McIntosh, is the son of a prominent Republican fundraiser in Dallas who campaigned for Donald Trump during his presidential election. 
 
 Perry’s accusation drew astounded responses from the university, Texas lawmakers and a professor, who said it was “extraordinary” that a federal official would involve himself in an issue as hyperlocal as student government elections. 
 
 “Honestly, we were just surprised to see that the secretary of energy would take the time to weigh in in detail,” Amy Smith, the school’s senior vice president of marketing and communications, told the Texas Tribune, “and we respectfully disagree with his assessment of what happened.” 
 
 Perry wrote in a lengthy commentary for the Houston Chronicle that he was “deeply troubled” by the actions of A&M’s administration and Student Government Association for overseeing what he viewed as an engineered election that awarded victory to Brooks in a “quest for ‘diversity.’” 
 
 Brooks spoke with reporters about his sexuality after the election, but did not make it part of his platform, reported A&M’s student newspaper, the Battalion. Perry wrote in his commentary that his problem was not with the sexual orientation of the victorious student, but the way in which he won. 
 
 “When I first read that our student body had elected an openly gay man, Bobby Brooks, for president of the student body, I viewed it as a testament to the Aggie character,” Perry wrote. “I was proud of our students because the election appeared to demonstrate a commitment to treating every student equally, judging on character rather than on personal characteristics.” 
 
 “Unfortunately,” Perry added, “a closer review appears to prove the opposite; and the Aggie administration and SGA owe us answers.” 
 
 McIntosh clinched the popular vote by 750 votes, but was disqualified by the student election commissioner after accusations of voter intimidation surfaced, reported the Battalion. 
 
 A&M’s judicial court — the university’s version of a student supreme court — overturned McIntosh’s disqualification, ruling there wasn’t sufficient evidence to prove he intimidated voters. But another charge, that he failed to disclose financial information for glow sticks briefly featured in a campaign video, was unanimously upheld, so his disqualified status did not change. 
 
 Brooks, who came in second place in the election, was named the victor. 
 
 What makes Bobby unique? Here's what he said. pic.twitter.com/P9tn5jOFc1 — Bobby B for SBP (@BobbyBforSBP) February 17, 2017 
 
 The drama of the election results and the subsequent dispute played out over several weeks in the pages of the student newspaper, revealing a passionate debate among students about democratic ideals. 
 
 The administration, it seems, gave the students room to resolve their disagreements without interference. 
 
 It wasn’t until Wednesday, after several Texas newspapers published profiles of Brooks discussing his historic feat, that Perry weighed in with his commentary. Even McIntosh was surprised by the energy secretary’s words, he told the student newspaper: 
 
 “I did not at all expect his editorial and I’m humbled to have his support. He made a compelling case which I fully support and continue to fight for. Our campaign team won the election and was subsequently disqualified unfairly. Diversity, at its heart, is equal treatment of all, and we hope this situation is resolved in a way that ensures a fair and more transparent process now and in future elections.” 
 
 Perry said the election commission and judicial court, both composed entirely of students, disqualified McIntosh “through a process that — at best — made a mockery of due process and transparency.” 
 
 “At worst,” Perry wrote, “the SGA allowed an election to be stolen outright.” 
 
 
 
 Secretary of Energy Rick Perry is sworn in by Vice President Pence as his wife, Anita, holds a Bible during a ceremony on March 2. (Carlos Barria/Reuters) 
 
 The energy secretary called out, by first and last name, the student election commissioner and student chief justice of the A&M judicial court. Perry implored them to explain why they chose to “overturn a fairly won election” and treat “these cases as annoyances rather than with respect.” 
 
 “The administration must explain why it stood passive while equal treatment was mocked in the name of diversity, and why officials did not brief the Board of Regents,” he continued. 
 
 Smith, the university’s senior communications vice president, told the Texas Tribune that student government elections are run by the students, not administrators, and that Perry’s “understanding of the election rules of student body president elections doesn’t reflect the facts.” 
 
 Reached late Wednesday night, the student election commissioner declined to comment. Brooks and the student chief justice did not respond to a similar request from The Washington Post. 
 
 With a tone that resembled the same fury over “political correctness” that boosted Trump, Perry insinuated in his commentary that McIntosh was unfairly disqualified because his opponent was gay. 
 
 “Brooks’ presidency is being treated as a victory for ‘diversity,'” he wrote. “It is difficult to escape the perception that this quest for ‘diversity’ is the real reason the election outcome was overturned. Does the principle of ‘diversity’ override and supersede all other values of our Aggie Honor Code?” 
 
 Perry said “every Aggie ought to ask themselves” if they would allow a black, gay or nonwhite male to be disqualified from an election on the same grounds as McIntosh. 
 
 Smith offered a sharp rebuke to that claim, too: “To suggest that the same decision of disqualification would not have been made if the roles were reversed is to deny the Texas A&M of today where accountability applies to all,” she told the Battalion. 
 
 Experts on Texas politics described Perry’s actions as “astounding,” “extraordinary” and “strange.” 
 
 “He’s written it as a call for fairness, not that he’s come out against the first gay student body president at A&M,” Cal Jillson, a political-science professor at Southern Methodist University, told the Houston Chronicle, “but the extraordinary part is that he took the time to do this when he should have so many bigger fish to fry in his current job.” 
 
 Perry was confirmed as energy secretary after a contentious hearing that called into question his knowledge and respect for the department. Perry, a former presidential candidate, was the longest-serving Texas governor and has not been shy about his Aggie pride. 
 
 This, said Rice University professor Mark Jones, could explain his unusually aggressive response to his alma mater’s current student body. 
 
 “This must be his inner Aggie speaking, because this is certainly not something you expect a cabinet secretary to weigh in on — actually, probably not even a governor,” Jones told the Houston Chronicle. “It’s strange. Of all the things he could have an opinion on, this is probably not the smartest move for a cabinet secretary. He must really be upset about it.” 
 
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 Perry alleged that the "quest for 'diversity' is the real reason the election outcome was overturned" 
 
 (CNN) US Energy Secretary Rick Perry weighed in Wednesday on the student body election of his alma mater, questioning whether Texas A&M's first openly gay student body president legitimately earned the title. 
 
 In an op-ed for the Houston Chronicle , the former Texas governor said he was "deeply concerned" by the school's decision to disqualify the winner of the popular vote and declare junior Bobby Brooks president. 
 
 At best, the school "made a mockery of due process" in the name of diversity, he said. At worse, the election was "stolen." 
 
 "It is difficult to escape the perception that this quest for 'diversity' is the real reason the election outcome was overturned," Perry wrote. "Does the principle of 'diversity' override and supersede all other values of our Aggie Honor Code?" 
 
 The allegations prompted a swift repudiation from the school. Meanwhile, critics wondered if Perry didn't have better things to do with his time as energy secretary than pen an 851-word op-ed on college politics. 
 
 Read More ||||| As Texas' first Aggie governor and as someone who was twice elected Yell Leader of Texas A&M University, I am deeply troubled by the recent conduct of A&M's administration and Student Government Association (SGA) during the Aggie student-body president elections for 2017-2018. 
 
 When I first read that our student body had elected an openly gay man, Bobby Brooks, for president of the student body, I viewed it as a testament to the Aggie character. I was proud of our students because the election appeared to demonstrate a commitment to treating every student equally, judging on character rather than on personal characteristics. 
 
 Unfortunately, a closer review appears to prove the opposite; and the Aggie administration and SGA owe us answers. 
 
 Brooks did not win the election. He finished second by more than 750 votes to one Mr. Robert McIntosh. However, McIntosh was disqualified by the SGA Election Commission and Judicial Court through a process that - at best - made a mockery of due process and transparency. 
 
 At worst, the SGA allowed an election to be stolen outright. 
 
 Here are the facts: Six hours after the election polls closed, the SGA Election Commission received 14 anonymous complaints, accusing McIntosh of voter intimidation. Rather than question McIntosh or conduct an investigation, the Election Commission immediately disqualified McIntosh and declared Brooks the winner. Later, the Commission added a second charge - again from an anonymous complaint - that McIntosh had failed to provide a receipt for glow sticks appearing in a campaign video on Facebook. 
 
 Now, as someone who appointed university regents for more than a decade, I assumed that the administration would have briefed the Board of Regents, considering the allegations of widespread voter intimidation and the disqualification of thousands of student votes. If anything is worthy of oversight, these events should qualify. 
 
 Incredibly, it appears that the Board of Regents was never informed. 
 
 Upon appeal, McIntosh was cleared of all charges of voter intimidation. None of the complaints were made by students who interacted with McIntosh, and many of the accusers turned out to be supporters of Brooks or his campaign volunteers. In other words, the entire episode that initially disqualified McIntosh was dismissed as a series of dirty campaign tactics. 
 
 The second charge of missing receipts was upheld by the Court, despite the fact that McIntosh had acquired the glow sticks for participating in a charity event prior to the campaign. Further, they were no different than visual props used by McIntosh's rivals' campaign videos - none of which were itemized or expensed. 
 
 In its opinion, the Judicial Court admitted that the charges were minor and technical, but, incredibly, chose to uphold the disqualification, with no consideration given to whether the punishment fit the crime. The desire of the electorate is overturned, and thousands of student votes are disqualified because of free glow sticks that appeared for 11 seconds of a months-long campaign. Apparently, glow sticks merit the same punishment as voter intimidation. 
 
 Now, Brooks' presidency is being treated as a victory for "diversity." It is difficult to escape the perception that this quest for "diversity" is the real reason the election outcome was overturned. Does the principle of "diversity" override and supersede all other values of our Aggie Honor Code? 
 
 Every Aggie ought to ask themselves: How would they act and feel if the victim was different? What if McIntosh had been a minority student instead of a white male? What if Brooks had been the candidate disqualified? Would the administration and the student body have allowed the first gay student body president to be voided for using charity glow sticks? Would the student body have allowed a black student body president to be disqualified on anonymous charges of voter intimidation? 
 
 We all know that the administration, the SGA and student body would not have permitted such a thing to happen. The outcome would have been different if the victim was different. 
 
 Election Commissioner Rachel Keathley must explain why she chose to overturn a fairly won election and disqualify thousands of votes on the basis of anonymous complaints and flimsy technicalities. Chief Justice Shelby James must explain why she treated these cases as annoyances rather than with respect. The administration must explain why it stood passive while equal treatment was mocked in the name of diversity, and why officials did not brief the Board of Regents. 
 
 Campus diversity is something every school and student should strive to consistently improve. But it must be done the right way. The quality of diversity on a campus depends on fair treatment, rather than preferred outcomes or engineered results. McIntosh's treatment suggests that A&M is choosing preferred outcomes over equal treatment: that the ends justify the means, and that not every student is deserving of the same treatment. 
 
 That is precisely opposite from the values that I learned as an A&M cadet. 
 
 Robert McIntosh was not treated the same as his competitors. 
 
 If we do not serve him and the voting majority of students, then we fail every student at our beloved university - and tarnish the ring that our alumni wear with pride. 
 
 Perry is the former governor of Texas, a 1972 graduate of Texas A&M University, and our nation's 14th Energy Secretary.
– Rick Perry, new US energy secretary, is "deeply concerned" about something. But don't worry, it's not America's aging nuclear stockpile but the results of a student election in Texas. CNN reports that after the winner of Texas A&M's election for student body president was accused of voter intimidation and disqualified for not disclosing campaign expenses, runner-up Bobby Brooks became the college's first openly gay student body president. That led Perry to pen an 851-word opinion piece for the Houston Chronicle in which he accused the administration of Texas A&M, his alma mater, of making a "mockery of due process" and stealing the election in a misbegotten "quest for 'diversity.'" Perry says the disqualification of original winner Robert McIntosh—the son of a major Texas Republican fundraiser who campaigned for President Trump—didn't "fit the crime" and wouldn't have happened if McIntosh weren't straight and white. While others criticized a federal official for publicly addressing a student election, Texas A&M settled for "respectfully" disagreeing with its former student. It points out the decision to disqualify McIntosh and make Brooks president was made entirely by students in the form of the all-student election commission and judicial court, the Washington Post reports. Furthermore, Brooks' sexuality wasn't part of his campaign.