COHOES, N.Y. -- Cohoes mayor Shawn Morse released a statement Monday afternoon, asking the public to have an open mind when it comes to abuse allegations made against him. The claims were detailed in an article published Sunday in the Times Union.

Morse's statement reads in part, "I respectfully urge those who have expressed their opinion to refrain from rushing to judgment on this matter based upon unnamed sources in a newspaper story. In the absence of a credible, sworn allegation that I engaged in wrongdoing, I respectfully request my fellow Democrats and the good people of Cohoes to keep an open mind and permit any such allegations to be resolved by the Courts, where I am entitled to the same measures of due process as any other citizen."

The statement comes a day after the Albany County Democratic Committee released one of its own, urging the mayor to resign if the claims are true.

The committee drafted its response to the Times Union article during an already scheduled meeting held Sunday.

"It's fair to say that there was not one person in the room that thought it was a non-issue," says Maureen O'Brien, secretary of the Albany County Democratic Committee.

When asked on Monday about the allegations against Morse, Albany County Executive Dan McCoy said, "It's one of the things that I don't agree with. It's very upsetting. I hope it's not true, but if it is, that's something that Shawn has to decide and move on."

Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan was also present at Sunday's meeting. She released a statement on Monday calling on Morse to resign.