Greetings from San Francisco, and welcome back to Puck.

Today, a potpourri of news from across the world of political and philanthropic fundraising: Inside dish on whether Melinda French Gates will walk from the Gates Foundation over Bill’s association with Jeffrey Epstein; Joe Lonsdale’s email to friends (with bundler code!) about Ron DeSantis; and intel about Joe Biden’s years-in-the-making swing to the Bay Area, his first since 2019.

But first…

• Scott’s ’24 Swing: Tim Scott is scheduled to make his first fundraising trip through the Bay Area on June 15, according to a save-the-date. One expected host, I’m told, is John Underwood, a Goldman Sachs wealth manager who played a role in the federal response to the Silicon Valley Bank crisis. Underwood doesn’t write huge checks, but he is a reliable host, and he’ll play the part during a reception and dinner in Woodside. Scott will also do a luncheon in San Francisco. I’m told other folks raising money in the Bay for Scott include...