Several women on Monday accused New York State Attorney Eric Schneiderman, with whom they all had an affair, of violence and threats. The latter resigned shortly after, after refuting the allegations.
Eric Schneiderman considered that these accusations, if they are not related to his professional activities, “[l]’would prevent running the office [du procureur] in this critical period ”, and announced his resignation, which will take effect Tuesday evening.
Two of these former companions testified openly for an article published on the weekly’s website The New Yorker. Two others refer to alleged facts on condition of anonymity. The article is co-authored by Ronan Farrow, who recently received the Pulitzer Prize for his article published in mid-October on ousted producer Harvey Weinstein in the same New Yorker.
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Manning Barish says she had an affair with the New York State Attorney between the summer of 2013 and the end of 2015. As for Tanya Selvaratnam, the other woman identified in the article, she explains having been in a relationship with Eric Schneiderman between summer 2016 and fall 2017.
Prosecutor denies assault charges
The two alleged victims say the former Democrat elected to the New York State Senate slapped them with full force on several occasions while he was under the influence of alcohol. He would even have pretended to strangle them, manifestation of what they describe as a desire for physical and psychological domination.
A behavior that each of the two women claims to have never requested, while claiming to have violently protested after having experienced what they qualify as physical aggression. Eric Schneiderman would also have threatened them with death if they left him. None mentioned sexual assault.
“In the intimacy of private relationships, I took part in role plays and other consensual sexual activities,” revealed the New York State prosecutor in a statement sent to AFP by a spokesperson. “I didn’t attack anyone,” he adds. I’ve never had sex without consent, which is a line I wouldn’t cross. ”
Elected prosecutor in 2010, Eric Schneiderman has become, since the election of Donald Trump, one of his most active opponents within the American judiciary. He has taken numerous legal actions to thwart Trump administration measures, including on the climate, immigration or net neutrality.
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