From #MeToo advocate to indicted
As Attorney General of New York, Schneiderman, launched legal action against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein last February, after dozens of allegations of sexual abuse against him. In a turn of events, the story published by The New Yorker refers to four women who claim that the prosecutor physically assaulted them several times in recent years.
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, one of the most powerful in the United States, resigned on Monday, shortly after The New Yorker magazine published a story in which four women say he physically assaulted them. Two of them identified themselves as former sentimental partners of the prosecutor. The 63-year-old official took a leading role in the #MeToo sexual abuse movement and filed a lawsuit against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, for whom the controversy originated in October last year.
In the story published by The New Yorker, four women claim that the prosecutor physically assaulted them several times in recent years, although only now these alleged facts are publicly known. Two of them claim that Schneiderman threatened to kill them if they broke up (the relationship) with him. According to several media that have echoed the news, the four women accused Schneiderman of striking them in various ways, with at least three of them saying Schneiderman slapped them forcefully across the face and two saying he choked them.
It was known that following this publication, the governor of New York, Andrew Como, called for the resignation of the prosecutor: "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”.
As expected, Schneiderman denied everything. "In the last several hours, serious allegations, which I strongly contest, have been made against me". The prosecutor acknowledged that "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." One of the victims, Manning Barish, had told The New Yorker that one night he backed her to the edge of the bed before abruptly slapping and choking her.
Barish tweeted: “After the most difficult month of my life-I spoke up. For my daughter and for all women.” However, Schneiderman insists in denying having committed assault but acknowledged he had “engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity" in romantic relationships. The former #MeToo champion has fallen for it.