EDITORIAL: These questions need to be answered

When the question, “Who is the hardest-working congressman in Washington?” comes up, the answer very well might be U.S. Rep. Antonio Delgado, at least within the borders of his 19th District.

The Democratic representative from Rhinebeck on Saturday drew a standing-room-only audience to Copake Town Hall. The town hall was Delgado’s 29th since taking office and his third in Columbia County.

It’s likely that the people who turned out were eager to hear what Delgado had to say about the impeachment inquiry. They didn’t have to wait long to find out.

As the second round of impeachment public hearings enter midweek, Delgado said he has a few questions of his own about President Donald Trump’s dealings with Ukraine.

Delgado said Saturday that the investigation is inexorably leading to the revelation of critical facts, facts that will prove to be alarming to Congress and the American people.

By his own admission Saturday, Delgado told the crowd he was not one of the members of Congress who spoke out early on the issue of impeachment.

His reason? “I was trying to do this in a way where we could pursue truth and understanding what is going on, particularly when it comes to Russia’s meddling, in a fashion that would be as nonpartisan as possible,” Delgado said.

If there were a request line to Congress for asking questions, this would be Delgado’s list: Why and for what purpose? Who was put in harm’s way? Was money withheld? How many people were fired and moved as a result? And how long did it date back to? And how much was the power of the presidency used for this personal gain?

These questions cannot be ignored. The committee holding the public hearings needs to introduce them and get answers. We only wish Delgado were there to ask them himself.