Gov. Asa Hutchinson called for state Rep. Mickey Gates to resign Tuesday as the Hot Springs Republican faces criminal charges of failure to pay state income taxes.
Hutchinson is the third prominent Republican to ask for Gates' resignation since Gates' tax troubles became public last month.
Gates, a two-term lawmaker, has yet to heed those calls. He has said he will plead innocent to the charges.
A person who answered Gates' phone Tuesday offered to leave a message for the representative, but the phone call was not returned.
On Tuesday, Hutchinson told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that he had spoken privately with Gates about 10 days ago and asked him to resign.
"I listened to him, but I told him in my judgment he needs to resign and it is my hope he would make that decision and listen to his colleagues," the governor said. "But it's important for me to make it clear that my view is that he should resign."
