You probably remember the name. For a while, Eric Schneiderman was basically the face of the "resistance." As the New York State Attorney General, he was the guy filing dozens of lawsuits against the Trump administration. He was the one taking on Harvey Weinstein. People in Albany whispered that he was a "governor-in-waiting." Then, in the span of about three hours on a Monday night in May 2018, it all vanished.
Honestly, the speed of it was dizzying. One minute he was a progressive hero, and the next, he was out of a job. If you want to understand the modern history of New York politics, you have to look at how Eric Schneiderman went from being the state's most powerful prosecutor to a man completing meditation teacher training in relative obscurity.
The Public Hero: New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman
Before the scandal, Schneiderman had a career that looked like a blueprint for political stardom. He graduated from Harvard Law. He spent years in the State Senate. When he became the New York State Attorney General in 2011, he didn't just sit in the office; he went after the big guys.
He was aggressive. He pushed for a massive $25 billion settlement with big banks over foreclosure abuses. He launched the Taxpayer Protection Bureau. He was the chief sponsor of the Rockefeller Drug Law reforms. Basically, he was doing the work that made liberals across the country cheer.
- The Trump Battles: He sued the Trump administration over 100 times. From DACA to environmental rollbacks, he was the primary legal antagonist to the White House.
- The Weinstein Case: He filed a civil rights suit against the Weinstein Company, arguing they failed to protect employees.
- The Feminist Icon: He was often the only man invited to speak at women’s rights rallies.
It’s hard to overstate how much trust people put in him. He wasn't just a politician; he was a "Champion of Choice." That’s why the fall was so jarring.
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The Night Everything Changed
On May 7, 2018, The New Yorker published an article by Jane Mayer and Ronan Farrow. It wasn't just a political hit piece. It was a devastating account from four women—including Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam—who accused him of physical abuse.
The details were graphic. They described being slapped, choked, and demeaned. They talked about a pattern of alcohol abuse. Selvaratnam even alleged he called her his "brown slave" and ordered her to call him "Master."
Schneiderman’s response was quick, but it didn't save him. He claimed that in the privacy of intimate relationships, he had engaged in "role-playing and other consensual sexual activity." He denied assaulting anyone.
But New York politics moves fast. Governor Andrew Cuomo called for his resignation immediately. Within three hours of the story hitting the web, Eric Schneiderman announced he was stepping down. He said the allegations would "effectively prevent" him from doing his job. He was right.
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Why the Eric Schneiderman Story Still Matters
You’ve got to wonder: how did a man who spent his career "escorting women to Planned Parenthood" (as one colleague noted) end up accused of such violent private behavior?
It created a massive "cognitive dissonance" for the public. Here was the guy leading the charge against abusers, yet he was allegedly an abuser himself. Tanya Selvaratnam later wrote that his public advocacy was a form of "atonement but also deflection."
The Legal Aftermath
After he resigned, things didn't just go away.
- Special Prosecutor: Madeline Singas, the Nassau County District Attorney, was appointed to investigate.
- No Charges: In November 2018, Singas announced that while she believed the women, "legal impediments" like statutes of limitations prevented criminal prosecution.
- License Suspension: In 2021, his law license was suspended for one year. He actually admitted to "abusive conduct" during that disciplinary proceeding.
He didn't go to jail. He didn't face a trial. But his political career was effectively dead.
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Where is Eric Schneiderman now?
Since leaving office, Schneiderman has stayed mostly out of the spotlight. In 2019, he completed a course to become a meditation teacher. It’s a far cry from the high-stakes world of the Attorney General’s office. He was reinstated to practice law in 2022, but with the caveat that he continues counseling.
He has also promised never to run for public office again.
The vacancy he left was eventually filled by Letitia James, who has carved out her own massive legacy in that office. But the "Schneiderman era" remains a cautionary tale about the gap between public persona and private reality.
Key Takeaways for Today
- Power doesn't grant immunity. Even the most "important" political work won't protect you if the truth comes out.
- Vetting matters. The speed of his resignation shows how quickly a "rising star" can vanish when the evidence is vetted by serious journalists like Mayer and Farrow.
- Restorative Justice vs. Punishment. His path—meditation, admitting to conduct in a disciplinary hearing, and leaving public life—is a specific kind of fallout that differs from the criminal trials seen in other #MeToo cases.
If you’re looking to stay informed on the current state of New York law and the people who run the Attorney General's office, you should regularly check the New York State Unified Court System filings and the official OAG (Office of the Attorney General) press releases. These sources provide the most accurate look at how the office has evolved since the 2018 shakeup. Additionally, following long-form investigative outlets can help you spot the nuances in political accountability that social media often misses.