Good Thursday morning, I'm Jake Sherman and welcome to your Political Playbook audio briefing, sponsored by UC Davis.

And I'm Anna Palmer. We're kicking off today with a first in playbook. Jake and Alex Eisenstadt Scoop.

The Republican mega donor Sheldon Aedelson has cut a $30 million check to the House-GOP leadership-aligned Congressional Leadership Fund.

It's a massive cash infusion that top Republicans hope will alter the party's electoral outlook

six months before Election Day.

The group sealed the deal last week when Speaker Paul Ryan flew to Las Vegas to meet the billionaire

at his Venetian hotel.

Also in the meeting, Adelson's wife Miriam, Norm Coleman,

the former Minnesota senator who chairs the Republican Jewish coalition, Corey Bliss, who oversees

the Super PAC, and Jake Caston, Ryan's number two political aid. They laid out a case to Adelson

about how crucial it is to protect the house. When Ryan left the room, Coleman made the ask

and secured the $30 million check.

To give you context, it's three times as much as he gave CLF in the 2016 cycle and comes much

earlier. The big news this morning, the three hostages are home after landing at 249 a.m. President Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President Mike Pence,

and Second Lady Karen Pence, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were in hand to greet them.

Trump thanked Kim Jong-un and asked if he'll go to North Korea. Trump said it could happen.

Republican leaders are becoming very concerned

about the new immigration discharge petition. It would force a vote on a package of five bills in the coming

weeks. Republicans have put off the immigration issue for some time because of very deep divisions in their

ranks. Now they need just eight more Republican lawmakers to sign on to the petition and every Democrat

to force the issue immediately. Here's what to watch for. Can House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy

and or Speaker Paul Ryan cut a deal to convince people to not sign on? Can they convince Democrats

...