New York Solicitor General Barbara Underwood on Tuesday was named the state's acting attorney general to replace Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who resigned following the release of a report giving a detailed account of his sexual misconduct.
"This morning, I'm grateful to work with the best colleagues in the business -- including Barbara Underwood, who will be acting NY AG. She's argued 20 cases before SCOTUS, clerked for Thurgood Marshall, & much more. The work continues," press secretary for the New York Attorney Amy Spitalnick tweeted.
" I am honoured to serve the people of New York as acting Attorney General. The work of this office is critically important. Our office has never been stronger, and this extraordinarily talented, dedicated, and tireless team of public servants will ensure that our work continues without interruption," a statement from Underwood, posted on Spitalnick's Twitter handle read.
Underwood, who has served as Solicitor General since 2007, was a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and has argued 20 cases before the Supreme Court, according to several media reports.
Underwood's appointment comes less than a day after New Yorker on Monday published claims made by four women of Schneiderman physically abusing them.
Two of the victims had said that Schneiderman hit them without their permission in the bedroom often under the influence of alcohol.
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They did not report the incident to the police though they later went for a medical help.
Accused Schneiderman had threatened the victims to kill them in case the latter complained against him.
Another woman had accused him of slapping her when she rebuffed her sexual advances.
Post the report, Schneiderman denied charges of sexual assault against him.
He said, "In the privacy of intimate relationships, I have engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity. I have not assaulted anyone. I have never engaged in nonconsensual sex, which is a line I would not cross.