Economic Stimulus

WASHINGTON - Did the Obama administration really pump billions of dollars into phantom congressional districts? Republicans, bloggers and conservative think tanks have been circulating reports suggesting that money intended to create jobs and shore up the economy was unaccounted for, misused or lost in some sort of bookkeeping black hole.

WASHINGTON - Ten months after Democrats took over the Capitol and the first African-American president moved into the White House, black lawmakers are in control of some of the most powerful positions in Congress - and face new challenges to using their long-sought influence.