On May 7, Eric Schneiderman, the former New York attorney general, resigned hours after four women accused him of physically assaulting them. Two of Schneiderman’s former romantic partners, Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam, have openly discussed the abuse with the The New Yorker. Barish and Selvaratnam both reported that Schneiderman has repeatedly hit them without their consent, often after drinking, and while in bed. They have received medical attention after being slapped across the face and choked, but did not go to the police to report the assault. Another former romantic partner of Eric Schneiderman told Barish and Selvaratnam that she was too afraid to come forward with her assault allegations against him. Michelle Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam told The New Yorker that Schneiderman threatened to kill them if they ended their relationship with him. A spokesperson for Schneiderman has said that, “he has never made any of these threats.”

Schneiderman, who was once revered as a major role in the #MeToo movement and rose in prominence after filing a civil-rights suit against the disgraced Harvey Weinstein, has denied the abuse accusations. In a statement Eric 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, 2018.” Schneiderman resigned three hours after The New Yorker article went public.