Gov. Mary Fallin called for state Sen. Ralph Shortey's resignation Thursday afternoon, joining a chorus of state officials who said he should leave government immediately.

"Ralph Shortey should resign his seat in the Senate. The charges against him do not reflect the character and decorum that we expect of an elected official. It is not acceptable," Fallin said in a statement provided by her office. "In the meantime, there's a criminal justice system in place to review the allegations. We should respect the process and allow it to work as designed."

The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday stripped Shortey of most of his privileges, including his right to an office at the Capitol. Leadership in the chamber, however, stopped short of expelling him.

Lt. Gov. Lamb has also asked for his resignation.