OG&E accuses contractor of overbilling

Thursday, August 4th 2005, 5:42 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A local contractor accused of overbilling Oklahoma Gas and Electric repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to give self-incriminating testimony during a court hearing in Oklahoma City.

The electric utility claims James Edward Newman Junior overbilled the company by more than $200,000 for work involving the burying of underground electric wires.

Newman is part-owner of Terra Tech.

During a motion for partial summary judgment Wednesday, OG&E told an Oklahoma County judge, Terra Tech should be forced to pay the money back.

Newman's attorney says his client doesn't dispute some overbilling occurred, but contends it was accidental.

Terra Tech did more than $11.4-million in work for OG&E during a four-year period before being fired in 2003. Newman and his relatives own the company.