Today Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop (R-Utah), Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), and Subcommittee on Indian, Insular, and Alaska Native Affairs Chairman Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) sent a letter regarding the corruption and mismangement involving the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority to Interim Executive Director Justo González.

"As of March 7, 2018, approximately 155,695 Puerto Ricans remain without power after Hurricanes Maria and Irma struck the island. As part of its on-going oversight of Puerto Rico’s recovery, the House Committee on Natural Resources is reviewing multiple allegations of corruption and gross mismanagement in the power restoration process made against the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA). Much of the reported corruption concerns PREPA officials accepting or demanding bribes to restore power to residences and businesses.

"In one alleged incident, PREPA officials were reportedly paid $5,000 and provided free entry tickets, valued at $1,000 apiece, to restore power to San Juan area exotic dance clubs ahead of the scheduled restoration timeline. There are also allegations that PREPA restored power to their own homes and other areas before restoring power to critical locations such as San Juan’s Rio Piedras Medical Center and the Luis Muñoz Marín Airport. In addition to betraying the public’s trust, improper, out-of-sequence power restoration has been associated with at least two fires and complicates scheduled power restoration operations…"

Read the full letter here.