It's Still Trump's Party

House Republicans are set to oust the No. 3 in leadership over a split with Trump [Liz Cheney]( Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images The Big Picture: Despite Jan. 6, It’s Still Trump’s Party House Republicans are on the verge of ousting Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney from her leadership post within the conference. The House GOP is set to meet Wednesday, where her fate could be decided. Cheney voted for former President Donald Trump’s impeachment because of his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and his continued lies about winning the 2020 presidential election. Since Trump left office, Cheney has not shied away from continuing to criticize him. She even wrote an op-ed in the [Washington Post]( this week, defending herself. “The Republican Party is at a turning point,” wrote Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, "and Republicans must decide whether we are going to choose truth and fidelity to the Constitution.” Meanwhile, Trump and a number of House Republicans have endorsed New York Rep. [Elise Stefanik]( for Cheney’s post. Stefanik began her pre-Trump career as a moderate, but has since gone all-in on Trumpism, embodying the morphing of the GOP. Last week, Utah Sen. Mitt Romney was loudly booed while trying to deliver a speech at the Utah Republican state convention. “Aren’t you embarrassed?” he shot back. Romney faced a censure vote by Utah Republicans. Though it was defeated, there was a time not too long ago when such a vote would be unthinkable, as Romney was the most popular politician in the state. It’s the latest move by Republicans toward ideological purity. If the shoe were on the other foot, it’s a trend many in the GOP might call “[Cancel Culture]( Trump’s popularity has softened some since leaving office, even among Republicans. The volume on his megaphone remains low. This week, a suspension from Facebook was [upheld]( by the company’s Oversight Board; Facebook has to reevaluate his punishment within the next six months. Trump was banned from Facebook and other social media platforms for initially condoning rather than condemning the Capitol attack. But if one thing has become clear since that date, Jan. 6 has changed little within the GOP. It’s still Trump’s party, until further notice. — Domenico Montanaro, NPR’s senior political editor/correspondent [Read more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- [Arizona audit]( Courtney Pedroza/Getty Images ICYMI: Top Stories DOJ on Arizona audit: The Justice Department said [a controversial audit and recount of the November election]( in Arizona's Maricopa County may violate federal laws. The DOJ's Civil Rights Division said the audit may violate federal law on the custody of federal voting records and that plans for door-to-door canvassing may violate federal law on preventing voter intimidation. On Friday, the Republican leader of the Arizona state Senate replied, saying [the canvassing is on hold](. Trump and Facebook: Facebook's Oversight Board [upheld the social network's ban of former President Donald Trump]( but said the indefinite ban was wrong and gave Facebook six months to either ban Trump permanently, reinstate him or suspend him for a specific period of time. Whatever decision Facebook comes to could be [a “make or break” moment for Trump’s political future](. Chauvin federal charges: The Justice Department filed [federal criminal charges on Friday against Derek Chauvin]( and three other former Minneapolis police officers involved in the killing of George Floyd. Chauvin is accused of using excessive force and violating the civil rights of Floyd. Biden on vaccine patents: The Biden administration threw its support behind [a World Trade Organization proposal to waive the intellectual property protections]( for COVID-19 vaccines. The head of the WHO praised the Biden administration's announcement, calling it a “monumental moment” in the fight against the coronavirus. New U.S. vaccine goal: President Biden unveiled a new goal in the ongoing vaccination campaign: [at least 70% of American adults have one COVID-19 shot by July 4](. As part of the goal, the White House is tweaking the system by which states are allocated vaccine doses, opening up the possibility for states that don’t need as many doses to contribute them to a federal pool. Sexual assault in the military: Two senators behind a bill to move cases of sexual assault in the military out of the chain of command say [the legislation now has the bipartisan votes necessary for passage](. Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and GOP Sen. Joni Ernst said that the legislation would, for the first time, move cases to trained military prosecutors. — Brandon Carter, NPR Politics social media producer --------------------------------------------------------------- [Protesters push for immigration reform]( Jose Luis Magana/AFP via Getty Images Going Deeper Immigration focus: Although President Biden laid out a comprehensive immigration plan on Day 1 in office, now past Day 100 [some activists are feeling abandoned](. During his congressional address Biden seemed to put responsibility squarely on the shoulders of Congress, which with razor-thin Democratic majorities is unlikely to pass a comprehensive plan. Instead the administration has shifted its focus to smaller, more bipartisan parts of the legislation, drawing criticism from progressives. Breyer retirement push: As the end of the Supreme Court term nears, [the pressure for Justice Stephen Breyer to retire has been mounting](. The pressure comes in the form of both carefully crafted statements from concerned Democratic legislators and more blatant campaigns from outside political groups. Breyer, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1994, has left many Democrats concerned that they may lose the chance to confirm a Biden nominee if the midterms favor Republicans. — Claire Oby, NPR Politics intern --------------------------------------------------------------- [Variants]( Kaz Fantone for NPR The Shot: Variants As Puzzle Pieces Why are scientists worried about coronavirus variants? What are they and how do they form? Why are they dangerous and how do they function? All these questions and more are answered in a new 4 1/2-minute video from NPR which uses puzzle pieces to explain how the variants work. — Claire Oby, NPR Politics intern [Watch the video]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. --------------------------------------------------------------- What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [nprpolitics@npr.org](mailto:nprpolitics@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Politics emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]