New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has resigned Monday night amid an explosive report that he had been accused by four women of physically abusing them. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a statement in light of "the damning pattern of facts and corroboration" in the article and had urged Schneiderman to resign.
Schneiderman wrote in a statement: "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."
Earlier, a statement from Schniederman said: "I have never engaged in non-consensual sex, which is a line I would not cross," he said through an outside spokesman.
The resignation comes in response to a story in The New Yorker which includes two women speaking on the record. The women "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."
Schneiderman, 63, said Monday night that he has "engaged in role-playing and other consensual activity" but that he has "not assaulted anyone."
Full story at CBSNews.com.