AG Schneiderman resigns after 4 women claim physical assault
Eric Schneiderman
Eric Schneiderman, New York’s attorney general for nearly eight years, has resigned after The New Yorker published an article today with four women claiming he physically assaulted them.
The calls for his resignation were swift after the article was published this evening.
“The New Yorker has published an article on Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, which reports multiple women making serious allegations of assault,” said Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “No one is above the law, including New York’s top legal officer. I will be asking an appropriate New York District Attorney to commence an immediate investigation, and proceed as the facts merit. 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.”
Schneiderman, facing pressure to resign, announced tonight he would step down.
“It’s been my great honor and privilege to serve as attorney general for the people of the State of New York,” Schneiderman said in a statement. “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.”
State Sen. Rob Ortt, on Twitter, said soon after the article was published that the “allegations of assault, drug use, and death threats by @AGSchneiderman are deeply disturbing and I’m calling for an immediate, independent investigation.”
Tom DiNapoli, the state comptroller, also weighed in on Twitter.
“The allegations against the Attorney General are shocking,” DiNapoli said. “In light of the serious nature of these accusations, Eric Schneiderman took the appropriate step and resigned.”
