It is a contract in Puerto Rico worth millions that is raising red flags, and now, the government is launching an investigation.

  • Whitefish is based in same small town that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is from
  • Zinke knows Whitefish CEO Andy Techmanski
  • Investigation is ongoing

A $300 million deal to fix Puerto Rico's decimated power grid went to a small company based in Whitefish, Montana. According to its website, the energy company, which carries the name of the town, is just 2 years old, founded by lineman, Andy Techmanski.

At the time of Hurricane Maria, Whitefish Energy Holdings employed just two people.

As soon as the deal to fix the island's power lines was announced, bipartisan concern reigned; questions swirled over the number of bids and selection criteria.

Now the House Energy and Commerce and Senate Energy panels are investigating and lawmakers are piling on, including Democratic Rep. Nydia Velazquez from New York.

"We need to protect taxpayers but we also need to protect the people of Puerto Rico and the way to do that is by making sure that we hire the company that has the experience and the capabilities," Velazquez said.

Whitefish soon engaged in a Twitter feud with the mayor of San Juan, Carmen Yulin Cruz, as she brought up frustrations over transparency of the company.

The Committee on Energy and Commerce sent a letter to Whitefish’s CEO Thursday, demanding answers.

Whitefish also has ties to the White House. The company is based in the same 7,000-person town in Montana as Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.

The Interior Department has denied that Zinke, a former Montana congressman, played any role in the contract award. Zinke knows Whitefish CEO Andy Techmanski “because they both live in a small town where everyone knows everyone,” a spokeswoman said. Zinke’s son had a summer job at a Whitefish construction site.

The investigation is just getting underway.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.