Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin Richard (Dick) Joseph DurbinTumultuous court battle upends fight for Senate McConnell focuses on confirming judicial nominees with COVID-19 talks stalled Senate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden MORE (D-Ill.) on Sunday said there was no “political calculation” among Democrats urging 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 following sexual misconduct allegations, calling it a “painful process.”

"I can tell you it was a painful process because of our personal friendships and relationships with Al and his family. There was no political calculation in here. It was just a painful moment when we made a decision, moved forward on the Democratic side," Durbin said on CBS's "Face The Nation."

Franken resigned from the Senate on Thursday following calls from roughly two dozen Democratic senators to do so.

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Franken has faced allegations of sexual misconduct since mid-November, when radio host Leeann Tweeden said he kissed and groped her without her consent during a 2006 USO tour.



Since then, multiple women have come forward saying Franken inappropriately touched them during photo ops and at other events.

Durbin said Sunday that he’d like to see a “national standard, not a partisan standard” in addressing sexual misconduct allegations.

Representatives from both major political parties have faced accusations of sexual misconduct in recent weeks. Franken and Rep. John Conyers John James ConyersBiden's immigration plan has serious problems Tlaib wins Michigan Democratic primary Tlaib holds lead in early vote count against primary challenger MORE Jr. (D-Mich.) resigned last week following such allegations.

Rep. Trent Franks Harold (Trent) Trent FranksArizona New Members 2019 Cook shifts 8 House races toward Dems Freedom Caucus members see openings in leadership MORE (R-Ariz.) also resigned said last week after he admitted to discussing surrogacy with female members of his staff. One staffer alleges he offered her $5 million to carry his child.