Axios

A Republican Party committee is privately warning its candidates that just hitting President Biden will be "insufficient" to win in November, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The GOP's top fundraising committee for state-level leaders argued that Biden doesn't hurt candidates down ballot in the way some presidents have in the past.

Republican Montana Senate candidate Tim Sheehy has repeatedly told supporters he would support getting rid of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the agency tasked with border security, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Dismantling DHS would be a major turn away from the post-9/11 reorganization of the federal government, even as Republicans call for a crackdown at the southern border.

Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) is indicating that the "culmination" of his investigation into President Biden will be criminal referrals to lay the groundwork for prosecution by a future Trump Justice Department.

Why it matters: The Oversight Committee chair appears to be abandoning the prospect of impeaching Biden as his Republican colleagues turn against the idea.

House Republicans are threatening to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress in pursuit of an audio recording of Biden special counsel Robert Hur's interview with the president.

Why it matters: Biden reportedly suffered repeated memory lapses in the interview, and Republicans are eager to dredge up reminders of Biden's age.

The IRS announced Monday that almost 940,000 people across the U.S. have yet to claim their 2020 tax refund.

The big picture: There's more than $1 billion worth of unclaimed refunds that will be left on the table if people don't file their 2020 tax return before May 17.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bewildered even some pro-Israel Democratic lawmakers on Monday by scrapping talks with Biden officials in protest against a U.N. resolution endorsing a ceasefire in Gaza.

Why it matters: The further degeneration in the relationship between Netanyahu and Democrats comes as Congress is preparing to vote on billions of dollars in aid to Israel as soon as next month.

The number of women turning to medication abortion outside of the formal health care system surged in the wake of the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade, according to a new study.

Why it matters: The findings offer a fuller picture of the use of abortion pills following the court's decision to end federal abortion protections.

The White House sees the public rift with Israel over a UN Security Council resolution as an artificial crisis manufactured by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for domestic political reasons, three U.S. officials told Axios.

Why it matters: Less than six months after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, which led to unprecedented support for Israel by the Biden administration, the relationship between the U.S. and Israel is rapidly deteriorating.

The judge overseeing former President Trump's New York hush money case said Monday that jury selection in the case will begin on April 15.

Why it matters: The date cements that the case will be the first of Trump's four criminal indictments to go to trial, meaning the former president will face criminal prosecution as he campaigns for another term.

A New York appeals court on Monday gave former President Trump 10 more days to post a $175 million bond and satisfy the judgment in his New York civil fraud case, a much smaller total than the $454 million initially required.

Why it matters: It's a huge win for the former president, who was staring down the prospect of a devastating financial and personal blow if he was unable to post the nearly half-billion-dollar bond by the Monday deadline.

Former President Trump was facing a Monday deadline to post a $464 million bond in his New York civil fraud case when a New York appeals court agreed to slash it by nearly $300 million.

Why it matters: The appeals court also extended by 10 days Trump's deadline to post the reduced $175 million bond. The temporary reprieve staved off a worst-case scenario for the likely 2024 GOP presidential nominee.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) announced Monday he is tapping Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.) to head the Select Committee on Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party.

Why it matters: Moolenaar is set to replace outgoing Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), who announced his plans to retire early on Friday, as the chairman of the panel.

You can't understand November's election — or America itself — without reckoning with how our media attention has shattered into a bunch of misshapen pieces.

• Think of it as the shards of glass phenomenon. Not long ago, we all saw news and information through a few common windows — TV, newspapers, cable. Now we find it in scattered chunks that match our age, habits, politics and passions.

Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) was quietly the driving force behind fundraising that helped propel Bernie Moreno to a commanding win in Ohio's GOP Senate primary last week, officials involved in the race tell Axios.

Why it matters: GOP insiders say Vance, 39, who's on former President Trump's short list for vice president, is building a national profile that's turning heads among major donors.

President Biden's team is so worried about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s potential impact on the election that it's built an entire operation dedicated to attacking Kennedy.

• Former President Trump's campaign also figures that Kennedy is more likely to pick off votes from Biden than Trump — so it's content to watch and wait.

NBC News and MSNBC are in an uproar over the hiring of former RNC chair Ronna McDaniel as a political analyst, which took top journalists at the network by surprise when it was announced Friday.

• In a rare on-air protest, Chuck Todd — one of the most recognizable faces of NBC News — said on "Meet the Press" Sunday that McDaniel has "credibility issues that she still has to deal with."

Four suspects arrested in the Moscow concert hall attack that killed more than 130 people appeared in court on terrorism charges Sunday, Russian state media reported.

The big picture: An ISIS affiliate claimed responsibility for one of Europe's deadliest terrorist attacks, which Russian leader Vladimir Putin sought to tie to Ukraine as he declared Sunday a national day of mourning for the Crocus City Hall shooting victims.