U.S. Seeks $675,000 in Suit Over Shuttle Contract

The U.S. Justice Department has filed suit to recover more than $675,000 from a Los Angeles company for allegedly submitting inflated claims for electrical work at the space shuttle launch complex at Vandenberg Air Force Base.

The suit was filed in Los Angeles federal court against Newberry Electric Corp., and James Alton Travis, the company’s former project manager at Vandenberg.

Newberry was a subcontractor to Martin Marietta Corp., the Air Force’s prime contractor for preparing the base for shuttle launchings.