Temp AG: Like to stay till Jan.
THE DEFENSE attorney for exstate Attorney General Eric Schneiderman predicted Thursday that her client would avoid prosecution despite the abuse charges leveled by four women.
“Eric appreciates the serious allegations that have been made against him and we will respond to them appropriately at the proper time,” read the brief statement from lawyer Isabelle Kirshner.
“While we are confident that this investigation will result in no criminal charges, should charges be brought, we intend to defend our client vigorously.”
Kirshner was hired Wednesday by Schneiderman, who resigned after a scathing article in The New Yorker alleged that he had slapped, choked and demeaned four women.
Kirshner added that she expected special prosecutor Madeline Singas, the Nassau County district attorney, to conduct “a fair, thorough and unbiased investigation.”
Her statement was released shortly after Singas promised to leave “no stone unturned” in her investigation of Schneiderman, a two-term Democrat.
At a press conference in Gov. Cuomo’s Manhattan office, Singas described the allegations laid out by four women against Schneiderman as “extremely disturbing and very troubling.”
Singas said she will also look into Schneiderman’s old office.
“If at any time he used his office or office resources in furtherance of alleged crimes, that is something we’ll look at,” she said.
She wouldn’t say whether any complaints have been filed or if any of the women have indicated they want to press charges.
Also at the press conference was Manhattan DA Cy Vance Jr., who has been vocal about being upset Cuomo yanked the case from his office. Vance said in the 12 hours his office began investigating, it sent out a number of subpoenas.
“Everything that comes back to our office as the result of that will go immediately to Madeline Singas so that she has all the information,” he said. ALBANY — The state’s acting attorney general, Barbara Underwood, says she wants to keep her new job through the end of the year.
Underwood told the Daily News on Thursday she will submit her name for consideration to the Legislature as lawmakers weigh who to appoint to fill out the last few months of Eric Schneiderman’s term.
Schneiderman resigned in disgrace on Tuesday in the wake of a report he abused four women.
Underwood, the state solicitor general since 2007, was then elevated to acting attorney general.
“I would be very happy to hold this job until the end of the year,” Underwood told The News. “I think that would probably be the best way to keep the work of the office on track.”
She said a lot of turnover in upper management would likely prove disruptive to the work the office is doing. “I do know the office well,” Underwood said. “I know the work of the office. I know the people in the office and I’ve been gratified to hear from people all over the office as well as from outside the office how comfortable they are (with her being in charge).”
She said she was stunned at the accusations about Schneiderman in The New Yorker story.
“I didn’t hear about it until just before the New Yorker story went online,” she said. “We’re past that now. It’s behind us.”
“I’m trying to whelm back and not be overwhelmed,” she said when asked about her first few days in the top spot.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie created a screening panel Wednesday to consider candidates to fill the role through the end of Schneiderman’s term. He suggested Underwood would be welcome to submit her application, which she said she will do.
“I have tremendous respect for the Legislature,” Underwood said. “I will be submitting my application for an appointment to them. They invited me to do that and I will do that.”
But Underwood, 73, said she is not interested in running for a full four-year term in November. “I don’t see a chance of that,” she said.