- The new acting New York attorney general will be Barbara Underwood, who has been the state solicitor general since 2007.
- Underwood is replacing Eric Schneiderman, who suddenly resigned Monday night after four women accused him of physical abuse.
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who resigned on Monday night, will be replaced by Barbara Underwood, the state solicitor general.
Underwood, who has been the solicitor general since 2007, was a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and has argued 20 cases before the Supreme Court. She will be the acting New York attorney general.
The New Yorker published a report on Monday in which four women accused Schneiderman of physical abuse. Schneiderman – whose office became known for its work against sexual harassment, including prosecuting the film director Harvey Weinstein – was immediately asked by Gov. Andrew Cuomo to step down.
In a statement announcing his resignation, Schneiderman denied the allegations and said it was an "honor" to serve the people of New York in his seven-year tenure.
"In the last several hours, serious allegations, which I strongly contest, have been made against me," he said. "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."
The four women told The New Yorker they were romantically involved with Schneiderman and accused him of nonconsensual physical violence. The two named in the report said that he repeatedly hit them and that they had to seek medical attention afterward.
Amy Spitalnick, the press secretary for the Office of the Attorney General, tweeted the personnel announcement on Tuesday morning and congratulated Underwood.
"This morning, I'm grateful to work with the best colleagues in the business - including Barbara Underwood, who will be acting NY AG," Spitalnick said, adding, "The work continues."