Political Memo: In Effort To Reconnect, Obama Heads Into Backyard

Trump threw a hissy fit on his social network over Paul Ryan (who is a Fox board member) saying he wouldn't vote for Trump. Via Vanity Fair: “Rupert Murdoch should fire pathetic RINO Paul Ryan from the Board of Fox,” Trump scream-wrote on Truth Social. “Ryan is a loser, always has been, and always will be.

In a move to become the first state in the country to categorize abortion drugs as controlled dangerous substances, Louisiana is threatening incarceration and fines if someone possesses the pills without a valid prescription or outside of a medical practice. Via the Washington Post: A pregnant woman obtaining the two drugs “for her own consumption” would not be at risk of prosecution.

Sen. Bob Menendez is set to face a weekslong trial over charges of taking bribes including gold bars, cash and a luxury car to help push U. S. aid and weapons to a foreign government. Via CNN: New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, who faces 16 charges including conspiracy to commit bribery and conspiracy to obstruct justice, has rejected calls to resign and, while he won’t run in the state’s primary for his seat, has left open the possibility for an independent run following his trial. The senator told CNN’s Manu Raju on Capitol Hill last week, “I am looking forward to proving my innocence,” when asked repeatedly whether he would resign in the face of a potential conviction. Prosecutors say Menendez and his wife, Nadine, helped several New Jersey businessmen – all of whom were charged in the conspiracy – obtain lucrative contracts with Egyptian and Qatari officials and attempted to pressure authorities to stop investigations into the businessmen and their associates.read more

Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) could not come up with a good answer Sunday when Fox News guest host Benjamin Hall pointed out that President Joe Biden had a similar Israel policy to former President Ronald Reagan. As Scott was criticizing Biden for not providing enough support to Israel, Hall noted that he was not the first president to withhold arms from Israel. "And I suppose, you know, one of the big news this week is that President Biden is withholding weapons from Israel," Hall said.

On this date in 1967, The Supremes scored their tenth No.1 single in the US with “The Happening.” Balloon Juice: Sunday Schadenfreude Open Thread: Market Forces Finish Freedomworks. The Rectification of Names: Teh Stupid. emptywheel: Happy(Forced) Mother's Day! Attention space nerds! Where'd them pretty lights come from? Round Up by driftglass of the Professional Left Podcast and Science Fiction University Send tips to mbru (AT) crooksandliars (DOT) com read more

Arizona’s first congressional district, entirely within Maricopa County, is one of the swing districts the Democrats are counting on to flip the House. Biden beat Trump there by one and a half points. And 2 years later the Republican incumbent, David Schweikert barely survived a challenge by an under-financed Democrat who was basically ignored by the DCCC— less than a point separated them. We think that Conor O’Callaghan is the Democrat who will finally defeat MAGA extremist David Schweikert in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District.