Democratic presidential hopeful and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg Pete ButtigiegThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - GOP closes ranks to fill SCOTUS vacancy by November Buttigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Hillicon Valley: FBI, DHS warn that foreign hackers will likely spread disinformation around election results | Social media platforms put muscle into National Voter Registration Day | Trump to meet with Republican state officials on tech liability shield MORE said on Monday that he would not have pressured former Sen. Al Franken Alan (Al) Stuart FrankenGOP Senate candidate says Trump, Republicans will surprise in Minnesota Peterson faces fight of his career in deep-red Minnesota district Getting tight — the psychology of cancel culture MORE (D-Minn.) to resign until lawmakers had more information when Franken was facing sexual misconduct allegations in 2017.

"I think it was his decision to make, but I think the way we basically held him to a higher standard than the GOP does their people has been used against us," Buttigieg told MSNBC's Chris Matthews at a town hall in Fresno, Calif.

"I think it is not a bad thing that we hold ourselves to a higher standard," he continued.

ADVERTISEMENT

"I would not have applied that pressure at that time before we knew more," he said when pressed by Matthews on how the process was handled.

Franken resigned in January 2018 after multiple women came forward to accuse him of inappropriate conduct, including kissing without consent.

The former senator apologized and later stepped down amid pressure from multiple Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand Kirsten GillibrandSunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election Suburban moms are going to decide the 2020 election Jon Stewart urges Congress to help veterans exposed to burn pits MORE (N.Y.), who is also a 2020 presidential contender.

Gillibrand, who was the first senator to call for Franken's resignation, defended the decision in March, saying she "stood up for women who came forward" in doing so.