known as prepa signed the contract with whitefish energy, a two-person two-year-old company whose largest previous federal contract had been for $1.3 million to upgrade lines in arizona. prepa filed for bankruptcy in july amid the island's ongoing debt crisis. it bypassed a network of utilities and a mutual aid system that is usually activated for storm recovery. the $300 million contract is the biggest yet for puerto rico's recovery effort, and for whitefish, which relies on subcontractors for their work. >> this appears to be a pretty small company. are they capable of doing the job that they have? >> reporter: republican senator lisa murkowski chaired the energy committee. she expects a hearing on puerto rico in the next week. and democratic senator maria can't -- cantwell is calling for an investigation. >> we're getting ready the light up puerto rico. >> reporter: the company's subcontract rates are calling up questions. $319 an hour for a lineman. and its ties to the administration are under scrutiny. whitefish is backed by hbd investments. its founder and general partner de

government company, prepa signed with whitefish energy, two person two-year-old company whose largest previous federal contract had been for $1.3 million to upgrade lines in arizona. prepa filed for bankruptcien july amid the island's on going debt crisis. bypassed utilities and muchable aid system activate ford storm recovery. the $300 million contract is the biggest yet for puerto rico's recovery effort and for whitefish which relies on subcontractors for their work. >> this appears to be a pretty small company are they capable of doing the job, that, that, i think they're being asked. >> republican senator, chair of the energy committee expects a hearing on puerto rico in the next week. and democratic senator maria cantwell is calling for an investigation. >> here ready to light up puerto rico. >> the subcontractor rates are raising questions. $4262 per hour for supervisor. $319 for a lineman. and its ties to the administration are under scrutiny. whitefish backed by hpc investments. founder and partner, gave $33,000 to the campaign of then texas governor now energy secretary rick

the contract. it's called prepa. one contract term appears to take the right of government agencies to audit or review what they paid its worker. there was a $616 wage for a senior account afternoon. working a 40-hour week that would add up to $1.3 million a year. >>> defense secretary james mattis made a stark warning about the threat from north korea. he spoke at the border this morning while facing south korea. >> behind me to the north, and oppressive regime that shackles its people, denying their freedom, welfare, and human dignity in the pursuit of nuclear weapons and threats to others. our goal is not war but rather the complete verifiable and reversible denuclearization of the korean peninsula. >> they impeesd sanctions on ten north koreas y yesterday. >>> president trump's former chief strategist steve bannon this week called the situation in qatar, quote, the single most important thing happening right now. qatar has one of the united states military's busiest air bases. they accused the country of funding terrorism. qatar strongly denies those claims. from sunday's " 0 sp

linemen to the island this week. the head of prepa, carlos ramos, has defended the $300 million deal. an on sunday emphasized there was nothing illegal about it. in a statement whitefish said the decision will only deal with what they want and deserve, to have power restored quickly. >> we want to elevate and restore our energy system in puerto rico. >> right before we went on air, we called to see if they would be voiding the contract. they said, no, they would be danceling it. the ceo sent a letter to the officials via linkedin. >> thank you, david. >>> with gusts above 70 miles an hour, it knocked down trees and power lines. heavy rain brought in flooding. it's bridging strong winds from maryland to maine. demarco more is in connecticut where almost 07,000 do not have power. demarco, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, charlie. we spotted downed trees like this one behind me resting on the power line as crews work desperately to restore power to thousand os people without it. >> it's horrible outside. flooding all over. >> reporter: wind gusts topped 70 miles an hour across n