ALBANY – Bombshell allegations made by four women on Monday that paint New York’s Attorney General as a hypocrite who was inclined to become physically violent with them, may have ended his tenure as AG, but it doesn’t make him unique.
Sadly enough, the latest scandal involving Eric Schneiderman means that he’s just the latest prominent figure in state politics to become ensnared in a sexual misconduct controversy.
“These kinds of things are all too common and its just so unfortunate,” said Assemblyman Andy Goodell.
Goodell referenced three examples of cases where a powerful name in the New York political arena was ultimately ruined by allegations levied while they were in office.
In 2017, former U.S. Congressman Anthony Weiner, of New York City, was sentenced to nearly two years in federal prison after he entered a guilty plea for transferring obscene material to a minor.
“It destroyed and derailed not only his congressional campaign, but his campaign for New York City Mayor,” said Goodell.
On Monday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo demanded and received Eric Schneiderman’s resignation, which goes into effect at the close of business Tuesday.
“The fact that we have a high-ranking state official accused of this type of behavior is not as shocking as it should be,” said Assemblyman Goodell. “I’m very disappointed, I really am.”
Eliot Spitzer, a former prosecutor, comptroller, and the 54th Governor of New York State, became involved with a prostitution ring and resigned about 15 months into his term.
“Can you imagine a sitting U.S. Governor engaging in prostitution while on an official trip?” Goodell said reflectively.
Five years after that scandal broke, Assemblyman Vito Lopez resigned after he was accused of groping, intimidating and manipulating young female staffers in a 2012 scandal.
