Three Republican members of Congress asked President Trump Wednesday to appoint a coordinator of reconstruction for Puerto Rico amid expectations the territory’s governor will soon resign.
Resident Commissioner Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, Puerto Rico’s non-voting representative in the House, was joined by Sen. Rick Scott of Florida and Rep. Sean Duffy of Wisconsin in making the request in a letter sent to the White House.
Scott’s spokesman, Chris Hartline, said in an email Wednesday afternoon that the lawmakers had not yet received a response.
Gov. Ricardo Rossello plans to resign, according to reports by CNN and Fox News, as a result of the mass protests that have disrupted the U.S. territory this week.
The protests are in reaction to the publication of approximately 900 pages of private messages between the governor and other top officials of the commonwealth that included homophobic and misogynistic language.
A spokesman for Rossello issued a statement midday Wednesday denying reports of his resignation, saying the governor “is in a process of reflection and of listening to the people.”
“Whatever decision he makes, it will be communicated officially, as usual,” Secretary of Public Affairs Anthony Maceira said in a statement.
The scandal, at the very least, has hobbled the governor’s political influence as the island goes through the long process of rebuilding from the damage caused by Hurricane Maria and reorganizing its debt under the oversight of a federal bankruptcy judge and a federally appointed oversight board.
Rossello already has announced he won’t run for re-election in 2020.
The new letter increases the pressure for federal oversight, asking Trump to appoint a disaster coordinator similar to the ones who shepherded federal reconstruction efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana and Superstorm Sandy in New York and New Jersey.
“The designation of a single federal coordinator for Puerto Rico creates a unique opportunity to execute your vision to rebuild America stronger than ever before, help those in need in Puerto Rico, and do so with proper oversight,” the letter said.
“We fought aggressively to ensure the recent recovery bill had significant support for families in Puerto Rico, and we believe this level of accountability to U.S. taxpayers is key while money is distributed quickly to those in need,” the letter concluded.
Duffy said in a statement he hopes Trump moves quickly to ensure politics don't slow aid.
“The people of Puerto Rico have suffered enough and disaster aid must not be slowed further because of the recent political turmoil on the island, Duffy said. "Together with my colleagues, I have asked President Trump to appoint a federal coordinator to speed the delivery of federal assistance. This is consistent with what previous presidents have done after other natural disasters and is in the best interest of Puerto Ricans. I hope President Trump makes a swift appointment.“
