NY Attorney General Eric Schneiderman Steps Down in Response to Assault Accusations

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has resigned after allegations of assault from several women been reported.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has resigned after allegations of assault from several women have been reported.

On Monday, The New Yorker published allegations from four women who claimed the Attorney General had been physically violent with them. Schneiderman's resignation came hours after the claims were published.

In a statement, Schneiderman said, "It's been my great honor and privilege to serve as Attorney General for the people of the State of New York. In the last several hours, serious allegations, which I strongly contest, have been made against me. 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."

Earlier on Monday, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo called for Schneiderman's resignation. "No one is above the law, including New York's top legal officer," Cuomo said in a statement. "I will be asking an appropriate New York District Attorney to commence an immediate investigation, and proceed as the facts merit."

He added, "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."

A spokesperson told CNN that the Manhattan District Attorney's office opened an investigation on the allegations after Schneiderman announced his resignation.

Two of Schneiderman's accusers, Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam, said that they had been in romantic relationships with Schneiderman when violence "often after drinking, frequently in bed, and never with their consent" occurred, according to The New Yorker. They both claimed that Schneiderman had hit and choked them and they later received medical attention because of the instances.

Manning Barish posted on Facebook on Monday, "I could not remain silent and encourage other women to be brave for me. I could not leave my sisters who had been harmed, hanging, discredited when I knew the truth."

 

The other two accusers asked to remain anonymous. One was described as "an attorney who has held prominent positions in the New York legal community." The attorney alleged that Schneiderman slapped her face and left a visible mark after she rejected him.

In a statement on Twitter, Schneiderman wrote, "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 a line I would not cross."

Schneiderman has been an outspoken critic of Donald Trump and also a key figure in the #MeToo movement. Schneiderman had taken legal action against film producer powerhouse Harvey Weinstein after he was accused of sexual assault by numerous women. 

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