State senators ask member to resign

BOSTON—The Massachusetts Senate passed a unanimous resolution Thursday calling for the immediate resignation of a prominent member who faces federal bribery charges.

The non-binding measure urges Sen. Dianne Wilkerson to step down and cites the Boston Democrat’s past legal problems, which include a term of house arrest for failure to pay her income taxes.

Senate President Therese Murray said members are upset about the “shadow of doubt” Wilkerson placed on them.

Murray said Wilkerson indicated in a letter sent before the vote that she’d follow the wishes of her Senate colleagues. But there was no indication Thursday afternoon that Wilkerson had agreed to resign. She could not be reached by The Associated Press.

The Senate also moved to refer Wilkerson’s case to its Ethics Committee.

Wilkerson was charged earlier this week and charged with accepting $23,500 from undercover agents she thought were businessmen in exchange for political favors.