Drew Angerer/Getty Images(NEW YORK CITY) — Eric Schneiderman took on major cases in his role as New York state’s top law enforcement official.
And now he is going to be added to the list of boldfaced names under investigation.
Schneiderman announced his resignation from his post as the state’s attorney general hours after a New Yorker story reported alleged abuse by him against four women. Schneiderman denied the assault claims.
Prior to leaving his post on Tuesday evening, Schneiderman counted moguls like Donald Trump and Harvey Weinstein among the targets of some of his office’s investigations.
Taking on Trump
Schneiderman helped arrange last month’s $25 million settlement with the Trump Organization over fraud claims against Trump University.
The settlement was first announced in November 2016, without Trump making any admission of wrongdoing. The then-President-elect said that the settlement was “for a small fraction of the potential award because as President I have to focus on our country.”
Schneiderman’s probes of Trump-related endeavors didn’t end there. His office previously investigated the Trump Foundation over alleged improprieties.
Schneiderman’s investigation into the Trump Foundation started in 2016 over a donation that was made to a political fundraising group associated with Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. Schneiderman ordered that the foundation stop fundraising in late 2016, and it was shuttered in November 2017.
Schneiderman’s actions didn’t solely target Trump businesses. Through amicus briefs and other legal actions, New York’s Attorney General had taken on Trump policies from the environment to immigration.
In September 2017, Schneiderman issued a joint statement with Gov. Andrew Cuomo threatening legal action against the White House if the Trump administration ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program.
Handling Harvey
Schneiderman’s office was directed by Cuomo in March, 2018 to investigate the initial handling of sex assault allegations against Weinstein by the New York Police Department and the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.
He was already looking into whether the sexual misconduct and harassment allegations made against the Hollywood producer could be indicative of discrimination and other civil rights violations.
“No New Yorker should be forced to walk into a workplace ruled by sexual intimidation, harassment or fear. If sexual harassment or discrimination is pervasive at a company, we want to know,” Schneiderman said in an October 2017 statement.
In February, 2018, Schneiderman filed a civil lawsuit to make sure any victims of Weinstein were compensated as part of any future sale of The Weinstein Company.
In the dozens of allegations that were brought against Weinstein of varying degrees of harassment and sexual misconduct, Weinstein has apologized for his behavior but “unequivocally denied” any allegations of non-consensual sex, according to a statement provided by his publicist last fall.
Big businesses under purview
Schneiderman wielded considerably more power than other states’ attorneys general because the country’s economic markets are located in New York.
The state’s Martin Act grants the attorney general expansive powers to investigate and prosecute crimes connected to the stock, bond and commodities markets.
With that power, Schneiderman’s office has taken on corporate titans like Exxon Mobil and executives at insurance giant AIG.
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