Perry is the former governor of Texas, a 1972 graduate of Texas A&M University, and our nation's 14th Energy Secretary. We all know that the administration, the SGA and student body would not have permitted such a thing to happen. 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 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. 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. At best, the school "made a mockery of due process" in the name of diversity, he said. 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. 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. Brooks and the student chief justice did not respond to a similar request from The Washington Post. “Brooks’ presidency is being treated as a victory for ‘diversity,'” he wrote.  Story highlights The frontrunner was disqualified for failing to disclose campaign expenses 
 
 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. 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.  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.
– 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.