San Juan mayor: Energy company ‘threatening not to do their job’

The mayor of San Juan said the small company tasked with restoring power to Puerto Rico is threatening to pull out their services over her criticism of their contract.

“We’ve got 44 linemen rebuilding power lines in your city & 40 more men just arrived. Do you want us to send them back or keep working?” Whitefish Energy tweeted Wednesday. 

We’ve got 44 linemen rebuilding power lines in your city & 40 more men just arrived. Do you want us to send them back or keep working?

— Whitefish Energy (@WhitefishEnergy) October 25, 2017

The tweet was in response to Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz’s request for more transparency about their $300 million contract, which has faced scrutiny because of potential conflicts of interest.

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Cruz tweeted in response that the company’s comments are a threat, expanding on her criticisms of the company’s contract from earlier Wednesday.

“They are threatening not to do their job which frankly is quite irregular for a company hired to the work for the public sector,” she tweeted.

Cruz called Wednesday for the company’s contract to be voided, questioning its legal and ethical standing. Whitefish Energy had only two full-time employees when the $300 million contract was signed and is based in Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s Montana hometown.

House Democrats have also called for the contract to be investigated.

A company spokesman confirmed Wednesday the Twitter account is operated by the company. He said the tweet is meant to foreshadow what the company would have to do if its contract with the island is voided.

Cruz also subtly accused the company of sexism in their treatment of her on Twitter, after Whitefish tweeted a statement saying that her comments are “misplaced.”

“You would think I am the only one in the world that has commented on this,” Cruz tweeted. “What is it about women having an opinion that irritates some?”

You would think I am the only one in the world that has commented on this. What is it about women having an opinion that irritates some? pic.twitter.com/XxGNLomjQy

— Carmen Yulín Cruz (@CarmenYulinCruz) October 25, 2017

Cruz has been a vocal opponent of President Trump throughout the Hurricane Maria recovery process, a conflict that got personal when the president and mayor exchanged insults via Twitter, with Trump insulting her leadership abilities.

–This story was updated at 4:56 p.m. Devin Henry contributed.