The New Yorker is out with a bombshell report tonight that accuses New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman of beating, harassing, threatening and molesting four different women during the period 2013-2017. Two of the women are named and they are quoted at length in the article. Two others told their stories to the New Yorker but asked that their identities be concealed. Each of the four says that she was in a relationship with Schneiderman, and their stories of abuse are remarkably parallel. According to the women, Schneiderman would drink to excess and then slap and beat them (without their consent) in bed. He also is supposed to have threatened them with the full force of his office as the top person in law enforcement in New York should they come forward and tell their stories. Schneiderman denies that he did anything that was not consensual, but the latest reports say that New York governor Cuomo is going to call on Schneiderman to resign tomorrow.
It's too early to know if these stories are true or not, and I do not want to prejudge the outcome. I have to say, however, that in his behavior as Attorney General, Schneiderman has always seemed to act like a bully. His reputation in the legal community has been as someone who pushes and pushes on his position, even if it lacks merit, until the threat of action by the state overwhelms the opponent. The result is a series of settlements including many on claims by the state that should have been dropped. It is the same sort of behavior that the women allege. Schneiderman is portrayed in the article as a man who does what he wants whether proper or not and then just threatens to do more in order to force silence on the women.
One last note: the filing deadline for the attorney general's position in New York passed three weeks ago. The only real candidate for the Democrat nomination for attorney general has been Schneiderman. It is less than clear right now what will happen if Schneiderman resigns. Knowing New York, most likely there will be some method used for the party bosses to stick their own favorite candidate in as the nominee. It won't necessarily be legal, but that never stopped the Democrats in New York in the past.
It's too early to know if these stories are true or not, and I do not want to prejudge the outcome. I have to say, however, that in his behavior as Attorney General, Schneiderman has always seemed to act like a bully. His reputation in the legal community has been as someone who pushes and pushes on his position, even if it lacks merit, until the threat of action by the state overwhelms the opponent. The result is a series of settlements including many on claims by the state that should have been dropped. It is the same sort of behavior that the women allege. Schneiderman is portrayed in the article as a man who does what he wants whether proper or not and then just threatens to do more in order to force silence on the women.
One last note: the filing deadline for the attorney general's position in New York passed three weeks ago. The only real candidate for the Democrat nomination for attorney general has been Schneiderman. It is less than clear right now what will happen if Schneiderman resigns. Knowing New York, most likely there will be some method used for the party bosses to stick their own favorite candidate in as the nominee. It won't necessarily be legal, but that never stopped the Democrats in New York in the past.
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