Eric Schneiderman's alleged victims are bizarrely linked to Trump, Michael Cohen, and the Russia probe


On Monday, The New Yorker published a bombshell report alleging New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman (D) physically and verbally abused four women while they were in romantic relationships with him. The report seemed to oddly confirm a tweet by President Trump from September 2013, when he said: "[Anthony] Weiner is gone, [Eliot] Spitzer is gone — next will be lightweight A.G. Eric Schneiderman. Is he a crook? Wait and see, worse than Spitzer or Weiner." On Friday, a strange court filing surfaced that appeared to explain how Trump evidently knew of the allegations against Schneiderman.
Lawyer Peter J. Gleason claims in the letter dated Friday that "some years ago," his law office was approached "by two unrelated women who at two separate times (approximately one year apart) claimed that Mr. Schneiderman was sexually inappropriate with them." Gleason told the women that "the very entities that were established to protect [them] would ultimately turn on [them] to protect the power elite," but adds that "at a minimum, I wanted these women to realize that somebody believed them."
Per a copy of the letter published by BuzzFeed News, Gleason then says he discussed the allegations with retired journalist Stephen Dunleavy:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
[Dunleavy] suggested and offered to discuss the matter with Donald Trump. Mr. Dunleavy did indeed discuss this very matter with Trump as evidenced by a phone call I received from attorney Michael Cohen. During my communications with Mr. Cohen I shared with him certain details of Schneiderman's vile attacks on these two women.
Gleason's filing specifically asks that "the court issue a protective order and seal any and all correspondence that Mr. Cohen may have memorialized regarding our communications" about the two women. Cohen's office and home were raided in early April, an indirect consequence of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's ongoing Russia investigation. Read the full filing here.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
July 13 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include new TSA rules, FEMA cuts, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy complimenting Donald Trump's new wardrobe
-
5 weather-beaten cartoons about the Texas floods
Cartoons Artists take on funding cuts, politicizing tragedy, and more
-
What has the Dalai Lama achieved?
The Explainer Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader has just turned 90, and he has been clarifying his reincarnation plans
-
Trump set to hit Canada with 35% tariffs
Speed Read The president accused Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney of failing to stop the cross-border flow of fentanyl
-
Mahmoud Khalil files $20M claim over ICE detention
Speed Read This is the 'first damages complaint' brought by an individual targeted by the Trump's administration's 'crackdown' on Gaza war protesters
-
Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariffs
Speed Read He accused Brazil's current president of leading a 'witch hunt' against far-right former leader Jair Bolsonaro
-
AI scammer fakes Rubio messages to top officials
Speed Read The unknown individual mimicked Rubio in voice and text messages sent to multiple government officials
-
SCOTUS greenlights Trump's federal firings
speed read The Trump administration can conduct mass federal firings without Congress' permission, the Supreme Court ruled
-
New tariffs set on 14 trading partners
Speed Read A new slate of tariffs will begin August 1 on imports from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and more
-
Elon Musk launching 'America Party'
Speed Read The tech mogul promised to form a new political party if Trump's megabill passed Congress
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US border
Speed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling