RHINEBECK, New York — First-term Democratic Rep. Antonio Delgado wanted constituents to know how he feels about the impeachment inquiry against President Trump which he backs. His sentiments sound familiar to those who have heard House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expound on the topic.
“This is sad. It’s a sad moment in this country’s history,” Delgado, 42, said Tuesday night at a town hall in his conservative upstate New York district.
In Texas last Friday, Pelosi had lamented: “This is a sad time for our country.” The same day, she had said it was “a very sad time for our country.”
Delgado said: “We are literally about to embark on something that does not happen all that often in our country’s history. It’s a grave, serious environment that we’re in.”
Pelosi had written in a letter to colleagues about “a grave new chapter of lawlessness” while last Thursday she had said “that we are in a place that I hoped we would never be.”
Delgado said: “We know how much this matters if you care about our democracy. We should want no foreign actor of any sort with access to our democracy trade or deal political favors in no uncertain terms. I don’t care if you’re a Democrat or Republican in the White House. Nobody gets to do that.”
Pelosi had said last Thursday: “I never thought we would see a president take the actions that he has … But that has not held this president back, and I know this is not a political occasion and I don’t think the action of an inquiry is a political move. It’s not about politics. It’s not about partisanship. It’s about patriotism.”
During a private conference call last Sunday, Pelosi coached members of her caucus about what they should say when talking about impeachment. “The polls have changed drastically about this,” she said. “Our tone must be prayerful, respectful, solemn, worthy of the Constitution.”
Rank-and-file members, including Delgado, were given talking points cards to follow. On Saturday, Pelosi traveled to Austin and to sell the Democrats’ impeachment message.
Delgado is in a precarious position as the House moves toward impeachment proceedings based on a whistleblower complaint citing Trump’s July 25 phone call to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.
He represents a district located in the Hudson Valley and Catskills regions which in 2016 voted for Trump 50.8% to 44% over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Delgado won the seat in the 2018 by defeating a first-term Republican incumbent, part of the Democratic wave that gave Delgado’s party its first House majority in eight years.
“I hope you understand and I’m endeavoring in this space to the best of my ability to do whatever I can to not just fan the flames, but to figure out how to bring us through this process in a way that at the very least help us emerge better for it,” Delgado said at the town hall.
Delgado, a former Rhodes scholar and Harvard Law School graduate, bristled when asked about his apparent use of the Pelosi talking points on impeachment.
“It’s not a talking point. I prefer you not call it a talking point. You’re attributing words to me,” Delgado said. “I’ve used a host of different words. I’ve used ‘sad.’ I’ve used ‘sober.’ I’ve used ‘serious.’”
Most audience questions focused on climate change and local issues.
While attendees generally appeared to support Delgado’s stance on the impeachment inquiry, one MAGA hat-wearing constituent, who identified himself as “Pete,” challenged Delgado on the matter.
“He proved his ignorance of the law,” he said. “Now he’s got a great credential — Harvard Law School — but where’s the crime? The president is the chief executive. He’s allowed to negotiate with other countries. Where’s the crime? Why not look at Joe Biden? He’s the subject.”
