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| Eric Schneiderman: New York attorney general resigns after assault allegations | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| New York’s attorney general, Eric Schneiderman, abruptly resigned on Monday night following accusations published in the New Yorker that he physically assaulted four women he was romantically involved with. | |
| Schneiderman rose to prominence as a foe of Donald Trump and a high-profile supporter of the #MeToo movement. | |
| “In the last several hours, serious allegations, which I strongly contest, have been made against me,” Schneiderman said in a statement Monday night. | |
| “While these allegations are unrelated to my professional conduct or the operations of the office, they will effectively prevent me from leading the office’s work at this critical time. I therefore resign my office, effective at the close of business on May 8, 2018.” | |
| Two women spoke on the record to the magazine, saying Schneiderman repeatedly hit them during the course of their relationships with him in recent years, and never with their consent. Neither woman filed any police complaints, but both said they sought out medical attention and confided in people close to them about the abuse. | |
| A third woman who also was involved with him told her story to the other two women, but said she was too frightened to come forward. A fourth woman said Schneiderman slapped her when she rebuffed him, but also asked to remain unidentified. The New Yorker said it vetted the third woman’s allegations, and saw a photo of what the fourth woman said was her injury. | A third woman who also was involved with him told her story to the other two women, but said she was too frightened to come forward. A fourth woman said Schneiderman slapped her when she rebuffed him, but also asked to remain unidentified. The New Yorker said it vetted the third woman’s allegations, and saw a photo of what the fourth woman said was her injury. |
| Shortly after the New Yorker published its article, the New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, called for Schneiderman to resign. | Shortly after the New Yorker published its article, the New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, called for Schneiderman to resign. |
| “I will be asking an appropriate New York District Attorney(s) to commence an immediate investigation, and proceed as the facts merit,” Cuomo said in a statement. “My personal opinion is that, given the damning pattern of facts and corroboration laid out in the article, I do not believe it is possible for Eric Schneiderman to continue to serve as Attorney General, and for the good of the office, he should resign.” | “I will be asking an appropriate New York District Attorney(s) to commence an immediate investigation, and proceed as the facts merit,” Cuomo said in a statement. “My personal opinion is that, given the damning pattern of facts and corroboration laid out in the article, I do not believe it is possible for Eric Schneiderman to continue to serve as Attorney General, and for the good of the office, he should resign.” |
| The two women who spoke on the record, Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam, both said the physical abuse escalated over time, and that Schneiderman also was a heavy drinker. The Associated Press is identifying the women because they agreed to tell their stories publicly. | The two women who spoke on the record, Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam, both said the physical abuse escalated over time, and that Schneiderman also was a heavy drinker. The Associated Press is identifying the women because they agreed to tell their stories publicly. |
| Asked for comment, Schneiderman, a Democrat, issued a statement to the New Yorker saying: “In the privacy of intimate relationships, I have engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity. I have not assaulted anyone. I have never engaged in non-consensual sex, which is I line I would not cross.” | Asked for comment, Schneiderman, a Democrat, issued a statement to the New Yorker saying: “In the privacy of intimate relationships, I have engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity. I have not assaulted anyone. I have never engaged in non-consensual sex, which is I line I would not cross.” |
| His representatives sent the same statement to the Associated Press when asked about the accusations. They also sent a statement from his ex-wife, Jennifer Cunningham, who said: “I’ve known Eric for nearly 35 years as a husband, father and friend. These allegations are completely inconsistent with the man I know, who has always been someone of the highest character, outstanding values and a loving father. I find it impossible to believe these allegations are true.” | His representatives sent the same statement to the Associated Press when asked about the accusations. They also sent a statement from his ex-wife, Jennifer Cunningham, who said: “I’ve known Eric for nearly 35 years as a husband, father and friend. These allegations are completely inconsistent with the man I know, who has always been someone of the highest character, outstanding values and a loving father. I find it impossible to believe these allegations are true.” |
| Schneiderman has been a vocal supporter of the #MeToo movement. He filed a lawsuit in February against the movie producer Harvey Weinstein and the Weinstein Company following an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, saying the company broke New York law by failing to protect employees from “pervasive sexual harassment, intimidation and discrimination”. | Schneiderman has been a vocal supporter of the #MeToo movement. He filed a lawsuit in February against the movie producer Harvey Weinstein and the Weinstein Company following an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, saying the company broke New York law by failing to protect employees from “pervasive sexual harassment, intimidation and discrimination”. |
| He launched a civil rights investigation into the New York City-based company in October after the New York Times and the New Yorker exposed allegations of sexual assault and harassment spanning decades. The company later fired Weinstein. | |
| The women accusing him said seeing him speak out on sexual misconduct issues was part of what prompted them to come forward. | |
| “This is a man who has staked his entire career, his personal narrative, on being a champion for women publicly,” Selvaratnam said. “But he abuses them privately. He needs to be called out.” | “This is a man who has staked his entire career, his personal narrative, on being a champion for women publicly,” Selvaratnam said. “But he abuses them privately. He needs to be called out.” |
| Schneiderman, who won a state Senate seat representing a Manhattan district in 1998, became attorney general in 2010 and is running for re-election this year. He has a history of recognition for activism on behalf of women’s causes, including reproductive rights. | Schneiderman, who won a state Senate seat representing a Manhattan district in 1998, became attorney general in 2010 and is running for re-election this year. He has a history of recognition for activism on behalf of women’s causes, including reproductive rights. |
| The 63-year-old also has been a longtime critic of Donald Trump, and has been part of several efforts to push back against some of his actions in the White House, such as the rescinding of protection for immigrants brought to the US illegally as children. | The 63-year-old also has been a longtime critic of Donald Trump, and has been part of several efforts to push back against some of his actions in the White House, such as the rescinding of protection for immigrants brought to the US illegally as children. |
| New York | New York |
| Domestic violence | Domestic violence |
| Harvey Weinstein | Harvey Weinstein |
| Gender | Gender |
| US crime | US crime |
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