Eric Schneiderman: New York Attorney General who championed #MeToo movement resigns over abuse claims

Resignation: Eric Schneiderman quit after four women accused him of physical abuse
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Tom Powell8 May 2018

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who championed the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment, has resigned after four woman accused him of abuse.

It came after the New Yorker magazine published accounts from women who accused the 63-year-old of slapping, choking and verbally abusing them.

Two of the women identified themselves as former girlfriends of his.

Mr Schneiderman, who contests the allegations, has portrayed himself as a supporter of women and had pledged to use his office to hold others accountable for abusing their power.

According to the reports, the alleged abuse often happened during what were supposed to be romantic encounters, but the women said the violence was not consensual.

Mr Schneiderman issued a statement implying that his conduct was either welcomed by the women, or was not as they described.

Eric Schneiderman has been a vocal supporter of the #MeToo movement
EPA

"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," he said.

Fellow Democrats in New York, including Governor Andrew Cuomo and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, called for his resignation.

"In the last several hours, serious allegations, which I strongly contest, have been made against me," he said.

"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."

Eric Schneiderman speaks at a rally in New York
AFP/Getty Images

He said he would resign at the close of business on Tuesday.

Two women who spoke to the New Yorker on the record, Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam, both said the physical abuse escalated over time.

Ms Barish wrote on Twitter after the story was published: "After the most difficult month of my life-I spoke up. For my daughter and for all women. I could not remain silent and encourage other women to be brave for me. I could not..."

She said she was involved with Mr Schneiderman from mid-2013 until the end of 2014, and he became violent a few weeks after they began dating.

She said she confided in friends, including novelist Salman Rushdie.

Ms Selvaratnam said she was involved with him from the summer of 2016 until autumn 2017.

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