N.Y. Attorney General Schneiderman resigns amid allegations of violence toward women

Schneiderman, a #MeToo champion, strongly denied the allegations but said they would interfere with doing his job properly.</s>ALBANY, N.Y. — Four women have accused New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman of physical violence that was not consensual.

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman declined to open an investigation into the illegal spending of $1.4 million by an association linked to the Yonkers firefighters union.

In an article posted Monday evening, The New Yorker detailed allegations from four women that had romantic relationships or encounters with the Democratic attorney general.

All four accused Schneiderman of striking them in various forms, including one woman who said he slapped her and choked her in bed without her consent, according to the article.

Two of the women — Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam — told their stories on the record, while a third spoke under the condition of anonymity and a fourth told her story to Manning Barish and Selvaratnam.

Manning Barish told The New Yorker she and Schneiderman had been clothed and getting ready for bed after drinking one night when he backed her to the edge of the bed before abruptly slapping and choking her.

"All of a sudden, he just slapped me, open handed and with great force, across the face, landing the blow directly onto my ear,” Manning Barish says.

In a statement, Schneiderman denied ever assaulting anyone.

"In the privacy of intimate relationships, I have engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity," he said in the statement. "I have not assaulted anyone. I have never engaged in non-consensual sex, which is I line I would not cross."

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Schneiderman has positioned himself as a champion of the #MeToo movement, suing Harvey Weinstein and The Weinstein Company in the wake of the sexual-harassment scandal that spurred a national reckoning over the way men treat women.

The attorney general is also in the midst of a review of Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance's handling of a sexual-assault complaint against Weinstein. Schneiderman received an official referral for the review from Gov. Andrew Cuomo late last month.

"Every New Yorker has a right to a workplace free of sexual harassment, intimidation, and fear," Schneiderman said when he filed the Weinstein lawsuit in February.

Manning Barish told The New Yorker she was "crying and in shock" after the alleged incident with Schneiderman.

When she confronted him, asking if he "crazy," Schneiderman accused Manning Barish of scratching him, she told the magazine.

“You know, hitting an officer of the law is a felony," he said, according to Manning Barish.

UltraViolet, a women's advocacy group, called on Schneiderman to resign immediately, calling his alleged actions "horrific."

"Schneiderman must resign. Immediately," Shaunna Thomas, a co-founder of the group, said in a statement. "If he fails to do so, Governor Cuomo and the New York State Legislature must take immediate action to remove him from office."</s>NEW YORK — New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who had taken on high-profile roles as an advocate for women's issues and an antagonist to the policies of President Trump, announced late Monday that he would be resigning from office hours after four women he was romantically involved with accused him of physical violence in accounts published by The New Yorker.

Schneiderman, who had been running for re-election, said he contested the women's accounts, but "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." He said he would resign at the close of business on Tuesday.

Two women had spoken to The New Yorker on the record, saying Schneiderman repeatedly hit them during the course of their relationships with him in recent years, and never with their consent. Neither woman filed any police complaints, but both said they sought out medical attention and confided in people close to them about the abuse.

A third woman who also was involved with him told her story to the other two women, but said she was too frightened to come forward. A fourth woman said Schneiderman slapped her when she rebuffed him, but also asked to remain unidentified. The New Yorker said it vetted the third woman's allegations, and saw a photo of what the fourth woman said was her injury.

The accusations had led Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to call for an investigation and for Schneiderman to immediately resign.

The two women who spoke on the record, Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam, both said the physical abuse escalated over time, including choking and hitting, and that Schneiderman also was a heavy drinker. The Associated Press is identifying the women because they agreed to tell their stories publicly.

On Twitter, after the story was published, Manning Barish said, "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..."

Manning Barish said she was involved with Schneiderman from mid-2013 through the end of 2014; Selvaratnam said she was involved with him from the summer of 2016 until fall 2017.

Manning Barish said Schneiderman started getting violent a few weeks after they began dating, slapping her one night after an evening out and escalating to choking her. She said she confided in friends, including novelist Salman Rushdie.

Selvaratnam, who was born in Sri Lanka, said Schneiderman started calling her his "brown slave" and made her say that she was "his property."

Schneiderman, a Democrat, had issued a statement to The New Yorker saying, "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."

His representatives sent the same statement to The Associated Press when asked about the accusations. They also sent a statement from his ex-wife, Jennifer Cunningham, who said, "I've known Eric for nearly 35 years as a husband, father and friend. These allegations are completely inconsistent with the man I know, who has always been someone of the highest character, outstanding values and a loving father. I find it impossible to believe these allegations are true."

Cuomo in his statement said, "No one is above the law, including New York's top legal officer. I will be asking an appropriate New York District Attorney(s) to commence an immediate investigation, and proceed as the facts merits."

Schneiderman has been a vocal supporter of the #MeToo movement. He filed a lawsuit in February against movie producer Harvey Weinstein and the Weinstein Co. following an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, saying the company broke New York law by failing to protect employees from "pervasive sexual harassment, intimidation and discrimination."

He launched a civil rights probe into the New York City-based company in October after The New York Times and The New Yorker exposed allegations of sexual assault and harassment spanning decades. The company later fired Weinstein.

The women accusing him said seeing him speak out on sexual misconduct issues was part of the impetus in them coming forward.

"This is a man who has staked his entire career, his personal narrative, on being a champion for women publicly," Selvaratnam said. "But he abuses them privately. He needs to be called out."

Schneiderman, who won a state Senate seat representing a Manhattan district in 1998, became attorney general in 2010 and had been running for re-election this year. He has a history of recognition for activism on behalf of women's causes, including reproductive rights.

The 63-year-old also has been a longtime critic of President Trump, and has been part of several efforts to push back against some of his actions in the White House, like the rescinding of protection for immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children.

Last month, he urged state lawmakers to close a loophole that he said could be used to fight state charges by anyone who has received a federal pardon for similar federal charges.

On Twitter, Donald Trump Jr. offered pointed commentary. He showcased one of Schneiderman's tweets from last year saying that he would remind President Trump that no one was above the law, with Trump Jr. adding, "You were saying???"

A Republican opponent, Manny Alicandro, had just officially launched his candidacy on Monday. After The New Yorker report, Alicandro said, "If true, he is a disgrace and wholly unfit for the role of New York State's chief legal officer. I believe the accusers."</s>New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that he was resigning from his office in a Monday evening statement.

That followed allegations published Monday in The New Yorker that Schneiderman, whose office has taken on a high-profile role in the fight against sexual misconduct, was physically violent with four women with whom he was romantically involved.

"It's been my great honor and privilege to serve as Attorney General for the people of the State of New York. In the last several hours, serious allegations, which I strongly contest, have been made against me. 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, 2018."

Two women spoke on the record to The New Yorker, saying Schneiderman repeatedly hit them during the course of their relationships with him in recent years, and never with their consent. Neither woman filed any police complaints, but both said they sought out medical attention and confided in people close to them about the abuse.

A third woman who also was involved with him told her story to the other two women, but said she was too frightened to come forward. A fourth woman said Schneiderman slapped her when she rebuffed him, but also asked to remain unidentified. The New Yorker said it vetted the third woman's allegations, and saw a photo of what the fourth woman said was her injury.

In a statement following The New Yorker report's publication, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called for Schneiderman to resign, and said he will be asking an "appropriate" New York district attorney to start an investigation immediately.

"No one is above the law, including New York's top legal officer."

"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," he said.

Asked for comment, Schneiderman, a Democrat, issued a statement to The New Yorker saying, "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."

His representatives sent the same statement to The Associated Press when asked about the accusations. They also sent a statement from his ex-wife, Jennifer Cunningham, who said, "I've known Eric for nearly 35 years as a husband, father and friend. These allegations are completely inconsistent with the man I know, who has always been someone of the highest character, outstanding values and a loving father. I find it impossible to believe these allegations are true."

Schneiderman has been a vocal supporter of the #MeToo movement. He filed a lawsuit in February against movie producer Harvey Weinstein and the Weinstein Co. following an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, saying the company broke New York law by failing to protect employees from "pervasive sexual harassment, intimidation and discrimination."

He launched a civil rights probe into the New York City-based company in October after The New York Times and The New Yorker exposed allegations of sexual assault and harassment spanning decades. The company later fired Weinstein.

The women accusing him said seeing him speak out on sexual misconduct issues was part of the impetus in them coming forward.

"This is a man who has staked his entire career, his personal narrative, on being a champion for women publicly," Selvaratnam said. "But he abuses them privately. He needs to be called out."

— The Associated Press contributed to this report.</s>New York state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman resigned on Monday after allegations of physical abuse by four women were reported in an article in the New Yorker magazine.

Governor Andrew Cuomo had called for Schneiderman's resignation within hours of the article's publication, and only slightly more than an hour later Schneiderman, a Democrat who was running for re-election, said he was stepping down.

“In the last several hours, serious allegations, which I strongly contest, have been made against me," Schneiderman said in a statement. "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, 2018.”

In the article published late on Monday, the New Yorker reported that four women who said they had had romantic relationships or encounters with Schneiderman said they had been subjected to nonconsensual physical violence.

Reuters has not independently confirmed the accusations.

“In the privacy of intimate relationships, I have engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity," Schneiderman said in a statement issued by Stu Loeser & Co before he announced his resignation. "I have not assaulted anyone. I have never engaged in non-consensual sex, which is a line I would not cross."

Cuomo, in his statement calling for Schneiderman's resignation, referred to "the damning pattern of facts and corroboration laid out in the article," and said he did not believe it was possible for Schneiderman to continue to serve as attorney general.

The New Yorker reported that two of the women who spoke to the magazine "alleged that he repeatedly hit them, often after drinking, frequently in bed and never with their consent."

The two women who were named in the article both called the abuse by Schneiderman "assault," the magazine reported. One of the women said Schneiderman slapped her across the face after she rejected his advances and that when she told him she wanted to leave, he said, "A lot of women like it. They don't always think they like it, but then they do, and they ask for more," according to the article.

A spokesman for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance said the office is opening an investigation.

Schneiderman is not the first top-ranking New York politician who was forced to resign following media reports about his personal life.

Eliot Spitzer resigned as New York's governor in 2008 after a New York Times report revealed that he was caught on a federal wiretap arranging to meet a prostitute in a Washington hotel room.

Spitzer, a Democrat who as the state's attorney general before becoming governor once broke up prostitution rings, was married at the time. He faced intense pressure to resign and impeachment threats from Republicans.

Schneiderman, a Harvard-educated lawyer, has been New York state's attorney general since late 2010. He has been a high-profile proponent of the #MeToo movement, which has seen accusations of sexual misconduct leveled against prominent men in politics, media, entertainment and business. They include Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.

In February, Schneiderman sued the Weinstein Company and Weinstein himself, alleging years of sexual harassment and misconduct by the movie producer.

Weinstein has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 70 women, including rape. He denies having non-consensual sex with anyone.

And in March, Cuomo ordered Schneiderman's office to review an investigation by Vance, the Manhattan district attorney, of a 2015 sexual assault case involving Harvey Weinstein, a case that Vance had decided not to try and prosecute.

The front page of Schneiderman's re-election campaign website on Monday night displayed his statement denying the accusations reported by the New Yorker, along with copies of news stories about his fight for abortion rights and a battle with the Trump administration. His statement of resignation was not posted.

New York state's constitution calls for the legislature to fill a vacancy in the office of the attorney general. But with the office up for election in November, any candidate chosen would serve only for a matter of months.

The primary election is scheduled for September, followed by the November general election.</s>New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman declined to open an investigation into the illegal spending of $1.4 million by an association linked to the Yonkers firefighters union.

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who positioned himself as a combatant of sexual harassment and abuse in the #MeToo era and a major opponent of President Donald Trump, abruptly announced his resignation Monday after four women accused him of physical violence and illicit drug and alcohol use.

Schneiderman, a Democrat, stepped down hours after a New Yorker article was published Monday evening detailing allegations that he repeatedly slapped, choked and degraded women with whom he had been romantic with.

The article was based on similar-but-separate stories from four women who had relationships or encounters with the Democratic attorney general.

All four 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, according to the article.

Schneiderman denied ever assaulting anyone but said he would step down at the close of business Tuesday.

"In the last several hours, serious allegations, which I strongly contest, have been made against me," Schneiderman said in a statement around 9:45 p.m. ET. "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."

Two of the women — Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam — told their stories on the record, while a third spoke under the condition of anonymity and a fourth told her story to Manning Barish and Selvaratnam.

Manning Barish told The New Yorker she and Schneiderman had been clothed and getting ready for bed after drinking one night when he backed her to the edge of the bed before abruptly slapping and choking her.

"All of a sudden, he just slapped me, open handed and with great force, across the face, landing the blow directly onto my ear,” Manning Barish says.

Selvaratnam also told The New Yorker that Schneiderman had slapped her, leading her to seek medical treatment for her ear.

In an initial statement before announcing his resignation, Schneiderman denied committing assault but acknowledged he had "engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity" in romantic relationships.

"I have not assaulted anyone," he said. "I have never engaged in non-consensual sex, which is I line I would not cross."

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, New York GOP Chairman Ed Cox and Manny Alicandro, Schneiderman's Republican opponent, had all called on Schneiderman to step down within hours of the article posted, as did UltraViolet, a women's advocacy group.

In a statement, Cuomo — a Democrat like Schneiderman and Gillibrand — said he would soon ask a district attorney to investigate the allegations.

"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," Cuomo said Monday night.

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Schneiderman had positioned himself as a champion of the #MeToo movement, suing Harvey Weinstein and The Weinstein Company in the wake of the sexual-harassment scandal that spurred a national reckoning over the way men treat women.

The attorney general was also in the midst of a review of Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance's handling of a sexual-assault complaint against Weinstein. Schneiderman received an official referral for the review from Cuomo late last month.

"Every New Yorker has a right to a workplace free of sexual harassment, intimidation, and fear," Schneiderman said when he filed the Weinstein lawsuit in February.

It will be up to state lawmakers to fill the remainder of Schneiderman's term, which runs through the end of the year.

The state Legislature will vote to name his successor — which essentially puts it in the hands of Assembly Democrats, who control 104 of the Legislature's 213 seats.

A Manhattan resident, Schneiderman, 63, was first elected in 2010 after previously serving as a state senator.

He led the Senate's expulsion of then-Sen. Hiram Monserrate in 2010 when Monserrate was convicted of a misdemeanor after he was charged with slashing his girlfriend with glass.

Now in his second term as attorney general, Schneiderman has been a vocal opponent of Trump, often touting the more than 100 actions his office has brought against Trump's administration.

His dispute with Trump dates back to 2013, when Schneiderman sued Trump over his Trump University real-estate seminar, a case that became a major issue in the 2016 presidential race and ultimately ended with a $25 million settlement.

Trump's administration and family reveled in the news of the accusations against Schneiderman, seizing on past tweets from Schneiderman that hailed the national reckoning over sexual harassment and promised to hold Trump accountable to the law.

Follow Jon Campbell and Joseph Spector on Twitter: @JonCampbellGAN and @GannettAlbany</s>The state's highest-ranking law-enforcement officer 'has long been a liberal Democratic champion of women’s rights,' according to 'The New Yorker.'

New York’s attorney general Eric Schneiderman stands accused of allegedly committing physical violence against four women, two of whom have identified themselves on record. Writing in The New Yorker, Ronan Farrow, one of the journalists who broke the Harvey Weinsten scandal, and a co-author, published the allegations against Schneiderman tonight.

Schneiderman’s office is currently suing disgraced movie mogul Weinstein on behalf of victims in the sexual harassment scandal.

In the detailed expose, The New Yorker describes Schneiderman, 63, as a champion of the #MeToo movement and an activist for feminist causes who has received repeated praise from women’s groups.

“As [Schneiderman’s] prominence as a voice against sexual misconduct has risen, so, too, has the distress of four women with whom he has had romantic relationships or encounters. They accuse Schneiderman of having subjected them to nonconsensual physical violence. All have been reluctant to speak out, fearing reprisal. But two of the women, Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam, have talked to The New Yorker on the record, because they feel that doing so could protect other women. They allege that he repeatedly hit them, often after drinking, frequently in bed and never with their consent.”

The New Yorker continued its report about the assault claims leveled against the attorney general, New York state’s top law-enforcement official.

“A third former romantic partner of Schneiderman’s told Manning Barish and Selvaratnam that he also repeatedly subjected her to nonconsensual physical violence, but she told them that she is too frightened of him to come forward. A fourth woman, an attorney who has held prominent positions in the New York legal community, says that Schneiderman made an advance toward her; when she rebuffed him, he slapped her across the face with such force that it left a mark that lingered the next day.”

Schneiderman is a high-profile Democrat who has feuded with President Trump on various issues, including suing the administration over its plan to obtain citizenship information in the 2020 census. He also has urged New York’s legislators to pass a bill that would shut down a loophole for those receiving a federal pardon that could otherwise enable them to avoid state criminal charges. This may be in the context of the Paul Manafort or Michael Cohen federal criminal litigation.

In a statement to The New Yorker, Schneiderman denied ever assaulting anyone or engaging in nonconsensual intimate relationships. He did admit to “role-playing,” however.

A graduate of Harvard Law School, Eric Schneiderman first won election as the Empire State’s attorney general in 2010 and was reelected four years later. Prior to that, he was a state senator for 10 years, representing Manhattan’s wealthy upper west side.

As the allegations of physical violence by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman constitute a breaking, developing story, please check back for updates.

According to the New York Times, Eric Schneiderman has resigned as New York’s attorney general effective at the close of business tomorrow. “”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,” he said.

“His resignation represented a stunning fall for a politician who had not only turned his office into a bulwark of resistance against President Trump, but also assumed a prominent role in the #MeToo movement,” the Times added about soon-to-be-ex New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.</s>(NEW YORK) — New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, whose office has taken on a high-profile role in the fight against sexual misconduct, was physically violent with four women he was romantically involved with, according to their accounts which were published on Monday in The New Yorker.

Two women spoke on the record, saying Schneiderman repeatedly hit them during the course of their relationships with him in recent years, and never with their consent. Neither woman filed any police complaints, but both said they sought out medical attention and confided in people close to them about the abuse.

A third woman who also was involved with him told her story to the other two women, but said she was too frightened to come forward. A fourth woman said Schneiderman slapped her when she rebuffed him, but also asked to remain unidentified. The New Yorker said it vetted the third woman’s allegations, and saw a photo of what the fourth woman said was her injury.

The two women who spoke on the record, Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam, both said the physical abuse escalated over time, and that Schneiderman also was a heavy drinker. The Associated Press is identifying the women because they agreed to tell their stories publicly.

Asked for comment, Schneiderman, a Democrat, issued a statement to The New Yorker saying, “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 I line I would not cross.”

His representatives sent the same statement to The Associated Press when asked about the accusations. They also sent a statement from his ex-wife, Jennifer Cunningham, who said, “I’ve known Eric for nearly 35 years as a husband, father and friend. These allegations are completely inconsistent with the man I know, who has always been someone of the highest character, outstanding values and a loving father. I find it impossible to believe these allegations are true.”

Schneiderman has been a vocal supporter of the #MeToo movement. He filed a lawsuit in February against movie producer Harvey Weinstein and the Weinstein Co. following an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, saying the company broke New York law by failing to protect employees from “pervasive sexual harassment, intimidation and discrimination.”

He launched a civil rights probe into the New York City-based company in October after The New York Times and The New Yorker exposed allegations of sexual assault and harassment spanning decades. The company later fired Weinstein.

The women accusing him said seeing him speak out on sexual misconduct issues was part of the impetus in them coming forward.

“This is a man who has staked his entire career, his personal narrative, on being a champion for women publicly,” Selvaratnam said. “But he abuses them privately. He needs to be called out.”</s>New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said he will resign at the end of the day after reported allegations from four women that he abused them."It's been my great honor and privilege to serve as Attorney General for the people of the State of New York," Schneiderman said in a statement late-Monday night. "In the last several hours, serious allegations, which I strongly contest, have been made against me. 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, 2018."The four women -- three of whom said they were ex-girlfriends of Schneiderman and one who said she had an interaction with him at an event -- told The New Yorker about the alleged abuse. The three who said they had romantic relationships with him, which included the two women named in the article -- Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam -- said Schneiderman abused them after drinking and often while in bed.Neither of the named woman went to police but told the magazine they sought medical attention."After I found out that other women had been abused by Attorney-General Schneiderman in a similar manner many years before me, I wondered, who's next, and knew something needed to be done," Selvaratnam said in a statement obtained by ABC News. "So I chose to come forward both to protect women who might enter into a relationship with him in the future but also to raise awareness around the issue of intimate partner violence."Schneiderman denies assaulting the women."In the privacy of intimate relationships, I have engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity," Schneiderman said in a statement earlier Monday. "I have not assaulted anyone. I have never engaged in non-consensual sex, which is I line I would not cross."Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance's office released a statement late Monday saying his office would investigate the allegations against Schneiderman."Our office has opened an investigation into the recently reported allegations concerning Mr. Schneiderman," Danny Frost, Vance's communications director, said.The attorney general is leading an investigation into how police and prosecutors, including Vance, handled sexual-assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein Jennifer Cunningham, Schneiderman's former wife, released a statement supporting him, calling the allegations "impossible.""I've known Eric for nearly 35 years as a husband, father and friend," she said. "These allegations are completely inconsistent with the man I know, who has always been someone of the highest character, outstanding values and a loving father. I find it impossible to believe these allegations are true."Ronan Farrow, who reported and wrote the story with colleague Jane Mayer, today told ABC News' "Good Morning America" the women had been reluctant to come forward for a long time "because of Schneiderman's power and influence within the Democratic party."Accusers Manning Barish and Selvaratnam were described in The New Yorker article as "progressive Democratic feminists in their forties who live in Manhattan.""This was a brave thing these women had to do," said Farrow, who was awarded a Pulitzer Prize last month for his reporting on sexual harassment and abuse allegations against Weinstein, who has denied them."It was difficult for them but also in this case doubly so because he is a power player within their world all closely connected to the Democratic Party in various ways and say he used his office and his power to intimidate and threaten them, saying that he could wiretap people. He could intimidate people in various ways."Manning Barish and Selvaratnam told the magazine they resumed their relationships with Schneiderman after he'd allegedly abused them."These women one after another were adamant: This is not 'Fifty Shades of Grey.' This was not in an area of grey at all in their mind," Farrow said of the alleged abuse. "This was assault over and over again and happened when they were fully clothed, not in the context where they gave any consent and one wasn't in a relationship at all."Gov. Andrew Cuomo , also a Democrat, had called for Schneiderman to resign in a statement earlier Monday evening."No one is above the law, including New York's top legal officer," Cuomo said in a statement. "I will be asking an appropriate New York District Attorney to commence an immediate investigation and proceed as the facts merit. 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."During a public event this morning, Cuomo reiterated his call that "nobody is above the law."He said that he found the allegations "so shocking and disgusting," prompting his call Monday night for an independent investigation.Dan Abrams, ABC News' chief legal analyst, said today on "GMA" that potential charges against Schneiderman could range from assault to harassment to choking."These threats to use his office in order to protect himself and threaten them," Abrams said. "That's another possible crime.""One of the great ironies is Schneiderman was ordered to review how the Manhattan D.A. had handled the Harvey Weinstein investigation," Abrams said."And now it's flipped. Which the Manhattan D.A. is now investigating the attorney general for this behavior."The acting-Attorney General Barbara Underwood issued a statement today, not mentioning Schneiderman or the allegations but saying that "this extraordinarily talented, dedicated, and tireless team of public servants will ensure that our work continues without interruption."The New Yorker and The New York Times had been racing for weeks to report and confirm the story and, by last week, Schneiderman's camp was quietly talking about the ongoing reporting, according to people directly involved in the discussions.Schneiderman insiders had no clue about the details, the individuals told ABC News, noting that some acknowledged that Schneiderman drank heavily at times but they did not know anything about his sex life.Schneiderman's inner circle is an amalgam of liberal Democratic staffers who have, at various points, worked for Hillary Clinton, Gov. Cuomo, Sen. Chuck Schumer, former Mayor Mike Bloomberg and the Democratic National Committee.As the day began Monday, hours before The New Yorker story was published, there was little to suggest events would roll out as they did.By mid-afternoon, a detailed list of questions had come in from The New Yorker and Schneiderman, his ex-wife and consultant Jennifer Cunningham and other key people were on a series of conference calls going through possible responses.This went on for hours. They discussed whether any of the assertions could be denied. They considered whether to announce the Attorney General was heading to a rehabilitation program.One person suggested denying something that seemed true and the group advised against lying, the individuals with knowledge of the discussions told ABC News.The first public statement - in which Schneiderman denied assaulting anyone but said that he "engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity" -- was issued in an effort to stanch the bleeding while holding back some material that might be suitable for second- or third-day statements, the individuals said.As the evening progressed, there was no thought about the blow that might come. Schneiderman and Cuomo have disliked each other for quite some time -- a sentiment that only grew when Cuomo ascended to his current post, leaving Schneiderman to replace him as attorney general, the individuals said.Schneiderman and Cunningham didn't consider that the governor, now facing his own re-election and nervous about a challenge from the left by actress Cynthia Nixon, might throw him to the wolves, the individuals said.Then, as the group was on yet another conference call, Cuomo's office issued the call for Schneiderman's resignation."What does this mean?" one person asked on the phone. The answer came fast: "You resign," the individuals recounted to ABC News.</s>Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. has opened an investigation into the allegations against New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.

Following a New Yorker article published Monday evening in which four women accused him of nonconsensual physical violence, Schneiderman said he will step down at the close of business on Tuesday.

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

In a statement to The New Yorker, Schneiderman said, "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 nonconsensual sex, which is a line I would not cross."

Schneiderman has been a vocal advocate in the #MeToo movement. In February, he announced a civil rights lawsuit against producer Harvey Weinstein, his brother Robert Weinstein and The Weinstein Company.

Last month, he tweeted approvingly of the Pulitzer Prize awarded to The New York Times and The New Yorker for their reporting on sexual harassment: "Without the reporting of the @nytimes and the @newyorker—and the brave women and men who spoke up about the sexual harassment they endured at the hands of powerful men—there would not be the critical national reckoning underway. A well-deserved honor."

Vance's investigation into the allegations against Schneiderman will be complicated. Schneiderman has been investigating Vance for his involvement in the decision not to prosecute Harvey Weinstein in 2015 after it gathered evidence for a case against him.

In 2012, Vance dropped an investigation into whether Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. had misled prospective buyers on sales of units at Trump SoHo. After that decision was made, the Trumps' attorney, Marc Kasowitz, donated and raised some $50,000 for Vance's re-election campaign.

Vance later told several news outlets he planned to return the money and that it had nothing to do with the Trump SoHo case.

WNYC reports that Schneiderman likely will face criminal charges over the allegations, though the NYPD told the member station it has not yet received any complaints against him.

New York Solicitor General Barbara Underwood will become the acting attorney general until the state legislature meets to fill the vacancy.

Tanya Selvaratnam is one of the women who told The New Yorker that Schneiderman had slapped and choked her. Selvaratnam was born in Sri Lanka, and said Schneiderman had called her his "brown slave" and demanded that she say she was "his property."

"After I found out that other women had been abused by Attorney General Schneiderman in a similar manner many years before me, I wondered, who's next, and knew something needed to be done," Selvaratnam said in a statement on Monday. "So I chose to come forward both to protect women who might enter into a relationship with him in the future but also to raise awareness around the issue of intimate partner violence."
Attorney General of New York Eric Schneiderman, whose office sued The Weinstein Company for sexual harassment and discrimination, resigns amid allegations of violence towards four women during his tenure as Attorney General.