State Senate Minority Leader Richard Tisei called on state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson to resign from the Senate on Tuesday in light of her facing federal corruption charges.

Tisei, a Wakefield Republican, wrote on ScalingTheHill.com, the Senate Republicans' blog, that the corruption allegations are far more serious that Wilkerson's previous indiscretions.

"This has moved far beyond the sad transgressions of her past," Tisei wrote. "The latest charges brought against Sen. Wilkerson rise to a whole new level, and significantly tarnish the reputation not only of the Massachusetts Senate, but government as a whole."

Tisei also said that Wilkerson has broken an unwritten code among elected officials.

"Elected officials must hold themselves to a high standard of conduct and not do anything to disgrace their office or abuse the public's trust," he said. "Sen. Wilkerson has violated that sacred trust, and given the serious ethical and moral lapses involved, she should do the right thing - for her constituents and for the legislature - and step down immediately."