WASHINGTON (CBSDC) — DC Mayor Vincent Gray is firing back at two councilmembers who called for his resignation Wednesday.

David Catania was the first councilmember to openly state it was time for Gray to step down.

“Whether the Mayor knew of the shadow campaign or not does not matter,” Catania said Wednesday afternoon. “He should not be beneficiary of that illegality. He should step down immediately for the good of the District and its residents.”

That evening, Mayor Gray responded bluntly to those remarks.

“This is the kind of irresponsible talk we’ve come to expect from (councilmember) Catania,” the mayor’s office told All-News 99.1 reporter Matt DelSignore.

Catania’s cries for Gray’s resignation were quickly echoed by Mary Cheh.

“I cannot overemphasize the sadness that accompanies this action on my part. I came to know Vincent Gray as Chairman of the Council, and during the four year that we served together, I did not know of a single person with more integrity and commitment to the people of the District of Columbia,” the council woman remarked in a statement issued to the press. “Indeed, that is why I endorsed him when he ran for Mayor. But the facts cannot be ignored and what has happened since has caused incalculable harm to the District. I believe that he would do a great public service if he would step aside now.”

Rather than bluntly dismiss Cheh’s comments as they did with Catania, the mayor’s office seemed saddened by her remarks.

“It’s disappointing however that a constitutional scholar of (councilmember) Cheh’s caliber would call for a resignation before an investigation is complete,” the mayor’s office said.

Muriel Bowser, an African-American who represents Ward 4, also called for the mayor to resign.