WATCH: Schumer Squirms Four Times When Asked By CBS Why He Won’t Call for Menendez to Resign

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer painfully struggled through questions about why he hasn’t publicly urged Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) to resign amid his corruption allegations.

Schumer was on CBS This Morning Tuesday when Tony Dokoupil brought up the “very serious charges” stemming from the alleged bribery scheme wherein Menendez and his accomplices advanced the Egyptian government’s interests. Dokoupil also noted that most of Menendez’s fellow Senate Democrats have called on him to resign, yet Schumer has refused to do the same.

Given all of Menendez’s baggage, Dokoupil asked Schumer “What would it take to move you toward a position of saying ‘You know what, Senator Menendez, please step away?'”

“As I’ve said before, the Senate should have certain standards,” Schumer said, “If you read the indictments, Senator Menendez has gone way, way below those standards.”

Because Schumer failed to answer the question, Gayle King jumped in and asked “What is your hesitation of asking him to step down?”

“As I said, he has been way, way below those standards, and we’ll see what happens after that,” Schumer said, dodging again.

“We all hear you saying that,” King countered, “but we’re just curious why — by your own admission, he’s gone way, way below the standards. Why wouldn’t you just say ‘You know what, Bob… Now it’s time, you’ve got to go?’ I’m just curious what your hesitation is.”

“I’ve had some serious discussions with him,” Schumer hedged.

“Which are ongoing?” Dokoupil asked.

“As I’ve said, I’ve had some serious discussions with him. Yes,” said Schumer.

“Okay, you clearly don’t want to discuss it,” King said as she gave up and moved the conversation toward Jim Jordan’s House Speaker bid.

Watch above via CBS.