COHOES, N.Y. -- Embattled Cohoes mayor Shawn Morse says he's not stepping down.

Morse appeared Tuesday night at a special meeting of the Cohoes City Council, reiterating that he will not step down amid domestic abuse allegations that stretch back to the 1980s.

Morse says reports of violence and assault are politically motivated and untrue. He spoke confidently and defiantly before people attending the meeting.

"We have a lot of great work ahead of us to make this city the all-American city we said it would be," Morse said. 

"I don't want these things to overshadow the good work and become something that it doesn't need to be, which is a snowball of everybody pointing fingers and fighting, arguing."

As he left the meeting, Morse once again called into question the accuracy of the Times Union report detailing the allegations. He was also critical of other Democratic leaders, like Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, who have called on him to step down.