Democratic women senators on Wednesday called on their embattled colleague Sen. Al Franken to resign after multiple women came forward alleging that the Minnesota lawmaker harassed them or engaged in sexual misconduct.
Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Kamala Harris of California all put out statements within minutes of each other saying it was time for Franken to go.
The calls came the day after John Conyers, a Michigan Democrat, also accused of sexual misconduct, announced he was resigning after calls from his own party to quit.
“While Senator Franken is entitled to have the Ethics Committee conclude its review, I believe it would be better for our country if he sent a clear message that any kind of mistreatment of women in our society isn’t acceptable by stepping aside to let someone else serve,” Gillibrand, a New York Democrat, wrote in a lengthy Facebook post.
[contentcards url=”https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/democratic-women-senators-call-franken-resign-amid-sexual-misconduct-allegations-n827036″ target=”_blank”]BREAKING: 6 Democratic senators have called on Sen. Franken to step aside:
• Sen. Gillibrand
• Sen. Hirono
• Sen. McCaskill
• Sen. Hassan
• Sen. Harris
• Sen. Murray— NBC News (@NBCNews) December 6, 2017