New York - New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is resigning amid accusations he physically assaulted four women.
In a statement hours after the allegations were made in "The New Yorker" yesterday, Schneiderman noted that he "strongly" contests the claims. Two of the women claim Schneiderman choked and slapped them. They say they needed medical attention for their injuries.
All four women said the abuse happened while they were romantically involved with Schneiderman. In an earlier statement, Schneiderman denied the accusations, saying he's never assaulted anyone.
Jane Mayer of "The New Yorker" co-authored the piece. She spoke to MSNBC last night.
Condemnation of Schneiderman was swift in the wake of the report. Gov. Andrew Cuomo was among the first to call for Schneiderman to resign. He also called for whoever succeeds Schneiderman to investigate the allegations.
State Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan says the allegations are deeply troubling and indefensible, adding that Schneiderman has lost the ability to serve the people of New York.
The Manhattan District Attorney says they will be investigating the allegations that Schneiderman physically abused four former girlfriends. The reported investigation by comes as Schneiderman had been investigating the Manhattan DA's handling of sexual assault allegations involving disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.
The State Senate and Assembly will hold a joint session to pick someone to fill out the remainder of Schneiderman's four-year term, which runs through the end of the year.