Fifth senator calls for Trump to resign as his crude attack on Sen. Gillibrand backfires

Donald Trump’s vengeful, condescending, and misogynist tweet attacking New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand on Tuesday morning has sparked a fast-moving firestorm against the White House.

And it appears to be one that the administration has no way of controlling.

After Gillibrand on Monday insisted Trump resign in light of the many accusations of sexual harassment and abuse made against him, he responded by denouncing her as a corrupt “flunky” who would “do anything” to amass power and money.

Gillibrand quickly fired back:

You cannot silence me or the millions of women who have gotten off the sidelines to speak out about the unfitness and shame you have brought to the Oval Office. https://t.co/UbQZqubXZv

— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) December 12, 2017

Trump’s ugly attack on a sitting female member of Congress sparked genuine outrage within the Democratic Party, where senior members this year have at times been reluctant to discuss trying to remove Trump from office.

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren immediately condemned Trump for trying to “slut-shame” Gillibrand.

And hours later, Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono joined four of her Democratic colleagues — Gillibrand, Cory Booker of New Jersey, and Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden of Oregon — in explicitly calling for Trump’s resignation.

“I said today that the only way to stop this president — who has a narcissistic need for attention, he’s a misogynist and admitted sexual predator and a liar — the only thing that will stop him from attacking us, because nobody is safe, is his resignation,” Hirono told NBC News.

Sen. Mazie Hirono on President Trump: "He’s a misogynist and admitted sexual predator and a liar. The only thing that will stop him from attacking us, because nobody is safe, is his resignation.” pic.twitter.com/48EBOAgnHP

— NBC News (@NBCNews) December 12, 2017

Hirono’s statement came on the heels of a letter from the Democratic Women’s Working Group to the chairman and ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, demanding a Congressional investigation into the litany of allegations against Trump.

As of right now, the White House has no answer for this escalating story and no coherent strategy for how to stop it.

But five Democratic senators have a good suggestion.