The resignation of New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, a stalwart in suing oil companies and President Trump over climate change, deals a blow to the environmental front he led.
Schneiderman led a coalition of Democratic state attorneys general opposing the Trump administration’s deregulation agenda, especially the Paris climate change agreement.
He was the leader of a push to hold Exxon Mobil accountable for the effects of climate change through a multi-year investigation based on news accounts that the oil company suppressed its own internal findings on the risks from global warming.
Last month, he led 15 attorneys general in a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency for failing to issue regulations for cutting emissions of methane, a potent but short-lived greenhouse gas, from fracking operations.
Schneiderman announced his resignation Monday night after the New Yorker reported that he had abused four women he had been in romantic relationships with. The resignation is effective Tuesday night.
[Related: Kellyanne Conway: Assault allegations against New York attorney general are ‘harrowing’]
He said he will “strongly contest” the allegations.
Two of the women told the magazine they required medical attention after being choked and slapped. Schneiderman had been a supporter of the #MeToo campaign, which brought legal action in New York against film producer Harvey Weinstein, who has been accused of sexually assaulting women.
Before the allegations surfaced, Schneiderman was busy Monday starting a new campaign against Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt, leading a coalition of eight attorneys general in pressing Pruitt to consult with the National Academy of Sciences before moving forward on a rule that would change EPA’s use of scientific studies in its decision-making.
