1 big thing: The GOP's 2024 showdown — their Iraq war vote | Monday, January 04, 2021
| | | | | | | Presented By Comcast | | | | Axios Sneak Peek | | By Axios Sneak Peek ·Jan 04, 2021 | | Welcome to Sneak Peek, anchored by Alayna Treene, Hans Nichols and Kadia Goba. Today's newsletter — edited by Glen Johnson — is 682 words, a 2½-minute read. | | | | | | 1 big thing: The GOP's 2024 showdown — their Iraq war vote |  | | | Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios | | | | Republican lawmakers planning to run for president in 2024 have spent weeks in urgent conversations with advisers as they made the high-stakes call about whether to support objections to this week's congressional certification of President-elect Joe Biden's victory. Why it matters: Republican sources tell Axios' Alayna Treene these lawmakers view Wednesday's vote as potentially decisive for their political viability, much like would-be 2004 Democratic candidates fixated over the 2002 Iraq War vote. What we're hearing: Sens. Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz are betting that objecting will win them support from MAGA loyalists; Sens. Tom Cotton, Mike Lee and, to some extent, Vice President Mike Pence are worried about longer-term damage to American democracy. They hope Republicans — and swing voters — will appreciate their relative restraint and refusal to go all-in on overturning the results. On the sidelines: Other 2024 hopefuls, like Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, have the luxury to sit out this fight, given they have no role in Wednesday's Joint Session of Congress. Go deeper. |     | | | | | | 2. Cheney power play |  | | | Former Vice President Dick Cheney looks on as his daughter Rep. Liz Cheney takes the oath of office, Jan. 3, 2017. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call | | | | Former Vice President Dick Cheney and House GOP Conference Chair Liz Cheney have pulled a power play against President Trump's attempt to overthrow the election. - The move: The elder Cheney helped pull together an op-ed from all 10 living former defense secretaries to warn against military intervention to thwart a transfer of power. Liz Cheney pounded out a 21-page argument against plans to try to stall certification of Biden's win.
Why it matters: Each has said little about President Trump over the past four years. But now that they're speaking out, they're making it count — with muscular, blunt cases against obstruction of the inevitable. - Liz Cheney has ambitions to run for the White House or House speaker. Her dad remains a formidable force in establishment Republican politics.
Between the lines: A source familiar with the Cheneys' thinking tells Axios' Mike Allen that given their reverence for the power of the executive, they're offended by Trump's norm-busting behavior and the futile resistance to Biden's victory. - "They're reestablishing the traditional Republican channel so that in the post-Trump era, people will be comfortable running at that segment of the party, rather than just the populist channel that Trump exploited," the source said.
| | | | | | | | 3. Progressives plot 11th-hour impeachment |  | | | Rep. Ilhan Omar. Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images | | | | President Trump may have little more than two weeks left in office, but some House Democrats are talking about impeaching him — again, Axios' Alexi McCammond and Stef Kight report. Driving the news: Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) said tonight: "The Constitution does not make exceptions for the amount of time the president has left in office, or the popular support they have." Go deeper. | | | | | | | | A message from Comcast | | Internet traffic has spiked because of COVID-19 | | |  | | | | Comcast's reliable coverage has helped millions of people stay connected as they navigate remote learning and working. The reason: Since 2017, the company has invested $12 billion to grow and strengthen its network. Learn how the network keeps you connected during these unprecedented times. | | | | | | 4. Iran jams Biden |  | | | Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images | | | | President-elect Joe Biden hopes to revive the Iran nuclear deal after taking office, but that task is growing more daunting by the hour. Driving the news: Iran announced today that it would begin to enrich uranium to 20% — within striking distance of weapons-grade levels — at its underground Fordow facility. - Hours later, Tehran announced it had seized a South Korean-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, allegedly for pollution. That's another reminder to the world of Iran's ability to disrupt a crucial shipping corridor.
David Lawler, Axios' expert on the world, has a detailed look at the enormous pressure Biden will face if he tries to reverse the Trump Iran policy. It's worthy of your time... | | | | | | | | 5. Loose lips may sink Trump ships |  | | | Sidney Powell watches as Rudy Giuliani points to a map during a Nov. 19 news conference that Dominion Voting Systems CEO John Poulos says caused "real damage" to his company. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images | | | | Just like it wasn't murder or bootlegging but tax fraud that took down Al Capone, President Trump and defenders of his election-fraud conspiracies may fall because they ran their mouths about voting machines, Axios' Glen Johnson reports. Why it matters: Dominion Voting Systems CEO John Poulos told "Axios Re:Cap" today he plans to sue Sidney Powell for causing "real damage" to his company through her unsubstantiated claims about the 2020 presidential tally. He also didn't rule out legal action against Trump himself. What they're saying: "This is not the first time that losing candidates have asked questions around what happened with an election in terms of process and how tabulation worked. And we feel that's a very important part of the process. This is something different, however. This is spreading false information that's knowingly false with malicious intent," Poulos said. - When podcast host Dan Primack, author of Axios Pro Rata, asked whether Trump could join Powell in Dominion's legal crosshairs, Poulos didn't give a direct answer.
- "At the end of the day, it's our legal team that's taking the lead on in terms of where and who," he said.
Go deeper: Listen to the interview here, and read the transcript here. | | | | | | | | 6. Pic du jour |  | | | Photo: Via Twitter | | | | Newly installed Rep. Lauren Boebert released an ad showing her toting a handgun around Capitol Hill, but after the Capitol Police chief was asked about it, the Colorado Republican's staff said it wasn't a real weapon. Go deeper: Axios' Kadia Goba recently reported about House Republicans — including Boebert — asking about carrying guns into the Capitol. | | | | | | | | A message from Comcast | | How to make remote learning easier for every student | | |  | | | | Comcast has provided low-income Americans with 135K computers and is working with hundreds of school districts to sponsor free internet at home. The reason: Students from low-income families need access to the internet and computers in order to learn from home successfully. Learn more. | | | | 🍑 Thanks for reading. Georgia will be on everyone's mind tomorrow. We'll be back after the polls close with early insights. | | | | Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters.
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