«Breaking News» Eric Schneiderman used campaign cash to foot his legal bills after abuse allegations

Former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, pictured in 2016, used campaign cash to pay for his legal costs after he was accused of abusing several women

Former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman used nearly $340,000 in political campaign funds to pay his for legal bills after he was accused of slapping and choking women, according to reports.

Schneiderman, 64, a nemesis of President Donald Trump and a #MeToo crusader, began paying the Clayman & Rosenberg LLP law firm the week after his abrupt May 7 resignation from office, records show.

The practice is legal, but reform activists say Schneiderman and other politicians are exploiting lax campaign finance rules.

Democrat Schneiderman saw his career collapse after he was forced to resign in May last year just hours after The New Yorker published an expose saying four women had accused him of slapping or choking them. Some said Schneiderman was a heavy drinker.

Records show that his personal legal bills, totaling $339,710, accounted for almost half of his re-election committee's spending in the eight months since he left office.

One of the women who accused Schneiderman of abusing her when they dated in 2013, Michelle Manning Barish, said he should have been forced to pay his lawyers out of his own pocket.

The Democratic activist and writer said: 'That money was given in good faith by donors who expected Mr. Schneiderman to help women. What a luxury to be able to assault women who donated to your campaign and then use their money to defend yourself.'

Although the practice is legal, reform activists say Schneiderman, pictured here at the 2018 Womens March in New York, and other politicians are exploiting lax campaign finance rules

The allegations tarnished Schneiderman's reputation as a defender of women and supporter of the #MeToo movement. Months before he left office, he filed a lawsuit aimed at securing better compensation for movie mogul Harvey Weinstein's sexual misconduct accusers.

Schneiderman was not charged over the allegations but in a statement after the investigation concluded he said he 'accepted full responsibility'.

He said: 'I accept full responsibility for my conduct in my relationships with my accusers, and for the impact it had on them.'

Blair Horner, the executive director of the New York Public Interest Research Group, said: 'By and large, if you are an elected official, you can use your campaign contributions as a Get Out of Jail Free card.'

The last payment was made December 7, a month after a special prosecutor closed the investigation without filing charges.

The committee has also refunded about $1.5million in contributions since Schneiderman's resignation, including $5,000 to singer and actress Bette Midler. It still had about $6.5million as of mid-January.

Asked for comment, a spokeswoman for Schneiderman referred to a prior statement that said the campaign is 'honoring its commitments and paying bills in accordance with applicable law and precedent.'

'Once the committee has honored all its commitments, the remaining funds will be donated to worthy and appropriate causes, consistent with the law,' the statement said.

Michelle Manning Barish, pictured left with former partner Schneiderman, said he should have been forced to pay his lawyers out of his own pocket

Harvard-educated activist writer Selvaratnam, left, said Schneiderman, right, referred to her as his 'brown slave' during their relationship 

'THE SYSTEM IS A SCANDAL': WHY WAS SCHNEIDERMAN ALLOWED TO USE CAMPAIGN CASH TO PAY FOR LEGAL BILLS?

Spending campaign cash on personal legal bills is a tried-and-true tradition in New York politics. Former State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver have each spent millions of dollars from their campaign war chests fighting corruption charges in recent years. Both were convicted.

Under the law, elected officials are allowed to pass legal costs onto a campaign when they involve matters touching on their official duties. In Schneiderman's case, part of the investigation looked at whether he used attorney general's office staff and resources to facilitate or cover up his abuse.

Advocates for change are looking to the new Democratic majority in the state legislature to tighten the rules on campaign spending. One bill would force a politician to close down a campaign committee within two years of being convicted of a felony.

'The system is a scandal,' Horner said. 'New York State's campaign finance system is generally a scandal, and this is another example of it.'

Isabelle Kirshner, the Clayman & Rosenberg lawyer who represented Schneiderman during the investigation, did not respond to a message.

Manning Barish encouraged Schneiderman's donors to speak up and demand that he donate the remaining funds to charities that help victims of intimate partner violence and sexual abuse.

'Mr. Schneiderman is obviously incapable of doing what is morally right on his own, so I am asking that the people demand he donate those campaign funds to help women,' Manning Barish said. 'That money does not belong to him.'

Two of Schneiderman's former romantic partners, Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam, came forward to share their allegations against him, which they classify as 'assault'. Neither filed a police report at the time but both sought medical treatment.

A third former romantic partner, who was not named, shared similar stories of bedroom violence. A fourth woman, an attorney in New York, said Schneiderman made unwanted advances and then slapped her when she rebuffed him.

Harvard-educated activist writer Selvaratnam said he referred to her as his 'brown slave'.

Schneiderman denied any wrongdoing in an initial statement and said that their dealings were all part of consensual, rough sex and role play. 

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Former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, pictured in 2016, used campaign cash to pay for his legal costs after he was accused of abusing several women

Former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman used nearly $340,000 in political campaign funds to pay his for legal bills...

It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.

Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.

Dianne Reeves US News HienaLouca





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