BostonGlobe.com Political Headlines - April 24, 2013

• Russia alerted US repeatedly about suspect, senators say: Russian authorities contacted the US government with concerns about Tamerlan Tsarnaev not once but "multiple'' times, according to US senators briefed on the inves­tigation. It's also believed they may have planned to attack NYC next. Bryan Bender, Noah Bierman, Mark Arsenault and Kevin Cullen report.

• Prosecutorial code propels GOP's Michael Sullivan far: A look at the US Senate candidate's style as a US attorney: by the book and hard on crime. Eric Moskowitz reports.

• Democratic Senate hopefuls turn up the insults: Boston.com politics editor recaps the final debate of the Senate Democratic primary - in which records were attacked on both sides.

• Michael Sullivan finds his own gun loophole: Columnist Scot Lehigh writes about how the one-time acting director of the ATF and current US Senate candidate denies that gun shows play a significant role in weapons trafficking, despite an ATF report to the contrary.

• Everything to fear in Internet sales tax: Columnist Jeff Jacoby calls the proposed law giving states the power to collect sales tax from out-of-state online retailers the Marketplace Unfairness Act.

BostonGlobe.com Political Headlines - April 23, 2013

• FBI didn't know of Russia trip due to misspelled name: Senator Lindsey Graham says the FBI told him they were unaware of bombing suspet Tamerlan's trip because his name was spelled wrong, from reporters Noah Bierman and Bryan Bender in Washington. 

• Terrorism's 'homegrown wannabes': The alleged Boston bombers may be a new kind of terrorist: young people who grew up in the West and for whatever reason became disenchanted with their adopted country. Columnist Farah Stockman writes. 

• Fallout from bombings threaten immigration measure: The fallout from the Boston Marathon bombings is threatening passage of immigration legislation, as conservative Republicans said on Capitol Hill, talk radio, and Twitter that the alleged participation of ethnic Chechen brothers shows the need for slowing down or halting the bill. Deputy Washington bureau chief Michael Kranish and reporter Tracy Jan with more. 

• In debate, Lynch hits Markey over national security votes: The first Senate debate since the Boston Marathon bombings focused heavily on homeland security, reports Boston.com politics editor Jim O'Sullivan.

BostonGlobe.com Political Headlines - April 22, 2013

Gabriel Gomez runs on practical, apolitical experience: Political reporter Stephanie Ebbert provides the latest download on the US Senate candidate's campaign.  Endorsement: Well-rounded pro Winslow is GOP's best choice for Senate: State Representative Dan Winslow, a former district court judge and legal counsel to Governor Romney, has fought to build the Massachusetts GOP for three decades, excepting his eight years on the bench - and the Globe endorses him as the GOP candidate in the US Senate Race. Ed Davis for mayor?: Columnist Adrian Walker believes the Boston Police Commissioner could be the perfect candidate for the city's next leader, based on his impressive leadership this past week.

AUFC - Not Even a Mass Shooting of School Children Could Move Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-Gun Makers) to Lift a Finger to Prevent Gun Violence

Shameful: Not Even a Mass Shooting of School Children Could Move Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-Gun Makers) to Lift a Finger to Prevent Gun Violence

Ayotte Turns Back On 89% in New Hampshire Who Support Enhanced Background Checks,

Insists on Keeping Door Wide Open for Criminals and the Dangerously Mentally Ill to Get Guns at Gun Shows & Over Internet No Questions Asked

Washington D.C. – Americans United for Change executive director Tom McMahon issued the following statement after Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-Gun Lobby) helped vote down life-saving anti-gun violence legislation today that would responsibly expand background checks for commercial gun sales made at gun shows and over the internet:

“Who’s celebrating Senator Kelly Ayotte’s obstruction today? The big gun makers that want to keep up business as usual putting as many guns in as many hands as possible, background checks be damned.  Criminals, terrorists and the dangerously mentally ill are breathing a sigh of relief that they can go right on exploiting the gun show and internet loophole.

“Over 3,000 people have been gunned down in the four months since 20 six-to-seven year olds and six adults that were massacred in a matter of seconds in Newtown by a severely disturbed young man armed with a military-style assault rifle.  The response from Congress these victims’ families deserved: assurances everything that can be done to keep guns of the hands of dangerous people will be done so other families don’t have experience the incredible loss they suffered.  The response victims’ families got from the gun maker apologists like Ayotte in the Senate: ‘We couldn’t care less what happened to your family.’   Easy access to guns isn’t the problem, it’s the solution, many belligerently argued. These politicians voted to put gun manufacturer profits ahead of public and children’s safety, and voters will be reminded of their dangerous priorities again and again and again.

“Backed by 89% in New Hampshire, this legislation was the very least and most uncontroversial thing Sen. Ayotte could have gotten behind to help prevent future gun violence and tragedies like Newtown.  Instead Ayotte voted to keep the door wide open for criminals to get guns any time over the internet, no questions asked. Now the only question is: how does Sen. Ayotte sleep at night?”

BostonGlobe.com Political Headlines - April 17, 2013

• In deference, Senate, mayoral campaigns halt: Political operations, which typically ratchet to a higher intensity in the final two weeks, temporarily shut down following Monday's attack. Bosoton.com political editor Jim O'Sullivan and state house bureau reporter Andrew Ryan cover.

• President Obama to travel to Boston for interfaith service on Thursday: Obama will speak at the interfaith service, which is scheduled to take place at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross at 11 a.m. Globe DC bureau reporter Matt Viser elaborates.

• Elizabeth Warren says she's 'never prouder than today' to be from Boston: Warren today visited marathon blast victims and their families at Brigham and Women's Hospital with Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino. Globe politics reporter Joshua Miller details.

•  Stephen Lynch friends with family of eight-year-old who died in Marathon attack: In a press availability, Lynch said he's known the family for years and that Richard's mother had worked with Lynch's wife at a local nursing home. Globe politics reporter Joshua Miller outlines.

• With use of multiple concealed bombs targeting civilians, Boston Marathon attack bears similarities to IED's used in Mideast: The threat from multiple homemade bombs detonated nearly simultaneously to kill or maim as many civilians as possible has been a hallmark of militant groups in recent years from Iraq to Israel and Afghanistan and Russia. Globe DC bureau reporter Bryan Bender explains.