(03-26) 19:36 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- California Democratic senators - wary from months of scandals - called for the immediate resignation of state Sen. Leland Yee, saying Wednesday that charges of gun trafficking and public corruption leveled against their colleague are "appalling."

"I want Leland Yee gone," a furious Senate Leader Darrell Steinberg said of the San Francisco Democrat who is a 2014 candidate for secretary of state. Steinberg said he is immediately removing Yee from all committee assignments.

Steinberg's reaction to the latest scandal - the third to hit the headlines this year - represented a departure from earlier calls for justice to play out after the conviction of state Sen. Rod Wright of Baldwin Park (Los Angeles County) on voter fraud charges. The Senate leader took a stronger position after the arrest of state Sen. Ron Calderon of Montebello on bribery charges this year by calling on the Los Angeles County Democrat to resign or be suspended.

Both of those legislators are on a paid leave of absence pending the legal completion of their cases.

Steinberg said Yee faces charges that "create a huge cloud over the institution."

"Obviously, he can't come back," said Steinberg, who then added, "well, if he's acquitted he can."

In a show of solidarity, Steinberg was flanked by Democratic Sens. Jim Beall of San Jose, Loni Hancock of Berkeley and Mark Leno of San Francisco.

"Every indictment, every arrest, every arraignment and even every suspicion or allegation reflects very poorly on each of us and all of us," Leno said.

Beall, who has known Yee for more than 30 years, said "to see this happen is a total flabbergast to me."

"The chairman of the Human Services Committee of the state Senate, a child psychologist working with foster kids. ... It's absolutely incredible," he said.

Yee's scandal shakes up a crowded secretary of state race.

The San Francisco Democrat has raised $800,000 for the race, although his most recent campaign finance filing indicates he has spent all but $134,000 of that.

Yee faces four competitors for the statewide post: Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Pacoima, and former Common Cause leader Derek Cressman, also a Democrat; Republican Pete Peterson and independent Dan Schnur, the former head of the Fair Political Practices Commission.

"I think he will need to explain himself to voters as to what has gone on," Cressman said. "The question is what is either party willing to do to change this?

"Clearly we need a radical overhaul of the political system. Something is rotten in Sacramento."