New York attorney general resigns amid abuse claims

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman abruptly resigned Monday night after The New Yorker published accusations by four women that he physically assaulted them. Schneiderman, a Democrat, was an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump and a prominent voice in the #MeToo movement raising awareness of sexual harassment in the workplace. In a brief statement, Schneiderman, 63, denied the accusations but said they would prevent him from carrying out his duties. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office announced it will investigate the claims, which include accusations that Schneiderman slapped and choked, verbally abused, and threatened the women during supposedly romantic encounters. Some also accused him of heavy drinking. Schneiderman described the situations as consensual, a claim the women denied. “In the privacy of intimate relationships, I have engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity,” he said. “I have not assaulted anyone. I have never engaged in non-consensual sex, which is a line I would not cross.”