• Attorney general was harsh critic of abusive men.
NEW YORK » Eric Schneiderman made fighting against sexual abuse and harassment a signature issue, first as a state senator and then as New York’s attorney general.
Schneiderman resigned Monday after The New York reported four women accused the Democrat of violence.
Here are some of his comments over the years:
“The Senate cannot turn a blind eye to an act of domestic violence, a crime for which the state of New York has a zero-tolerance policy, and an attempt to evade responsibility for such a crime through dishonesty and bullying.”
— February 2010, after the then-state senator voted to oust a colleague convicted of misdemeanor assault
“Oppression is oppression — and male supremacists always fear the voices of women. We need to build a movement for true equality and freedom for women a movement against male supremacy in all its forms and manifestations. And we need to build this movement from the ground up focusing on state as well as federal action.”
— September 2017, remarks to NARAL ProChoice America
“We know that domestic violence victims are often some of the most vulnerable residents of our state. Our hope is that our enforcement actions, as well as our education and outreach efforts, will assist domestic violence victims to escape the violence they face at the hands of their abusers and assist them in building safe, productive lives.
— October 2016, statement on the release of a domestic violence brochure
“We have never seen anything as despicable as what we’ve seen right here ... They knew what was happening. It was flagrant, it was flamboyant. They knew how pervasive it was and not only did they fail to stop it, they enabled it and covered it up.”
— February 2018, comment after his office sued the Weinstein Co., accusing it of being complicit in Harvey Weinstein’s sexual misconduct
“Protecting New Yorkers from domestic violence — and the housing and job discrimination that victims often face in the wake of such abuse, is a key part to stopping the cycle of violence in our state and our nation.”
— October, 2015, statement on domestic violence brochure
“I’m just sorry it took us so long in New York state to do this ... I think this will save a lot of lives.”
— June, 2010, comment on his bill to toughen penalties for strangulation
“Without the reporting of the @nytimes and the @newyorkerand the brave women and men who spoke up about the sexual harassment they endured at the hands of powerful menthere would not be the critical national reckoning underway.”
— April, 2018, tweet on Pulitzer Prize announcements
“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.”
— May, 2018, resignation statement after The New Yorker reported allegations by four women who say they were slapped and choked by Schneiderman