New York state’s top prosecutor and a public champion of the #MeToo movement resigned on Monday, just hours after being accused by The New Yorker of physically assaulting four women.
It was an abrupt fall from power for Eric Scheiderman, the chief law enforcement officer in the state and a Donald Trump opponent whose office had launched multiple legal challenges against the Republican administration.
“In the last several hours, serious allegations, which I strongly contest, have been made against me,” Schneiderman 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. I, therefore, resign my office, effective at the close of business on May 8.”
Earlier, he issued a statement denying that he had assaulted anyone or that he had ever engaged in non-consensual sex. Two of the women spoke to the magazine on the record, alleging that Schneiderman repeatedly hit them, often after drinking, frequently in bed and never with their consent.
