Eric Schneiderman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eric Schneiderman
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Schneiderman in 2012
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| 65th Attorney General of New York | |
| In office January 1, 2011 – May 8, 2018 |
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| Governor | Andrew Cuomo |
| Preceded by | Andrew Cuomo |
| Succeeded by | Barbara Underwood |
| Member of the New York State Senate | |
| In office January 1, 1999 – December 31, 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Franz Leichter |
| Succeeded by | Adriano Espaillat |
| Constituency | 30th district (1999–2002) 31st district (2003–2010) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Eric Tradd Schneiderman
December 31, 1954 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Jennifer Cunningham (divorced) |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | Amherst College (BA) Harvard University (JD) |
Eric Tradd Schneiderman, born on December 31, 1954, is an American lawyer and politician. He served as the 65th Attorney General of New York from 2011 until his resignation in May 2018. Before becoming Attorney General, Schneiderman was a member of the Democratic Party and spent ten years in the New York State Senate. He resigned from his position in May 2018.
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Early Life and Education
Eric Schneiderman was born in New York City to a Jewish family. His father, Irwin Schneiderman, was also a lawyer. Eric went to the Trinity School in New York City, graduating in 1972.
He then attended Amherst College, finishing in 1977. Later, he earned his law degree (Juris Doctor) from Harvard Law School in 1982.
After law school, Schneiderman worked as a judicial clerk for two years. He then joined an international law firm, Kirkpatrick and Lockhart LLP, where he became a partner. He married Jennifer Cunningham in 1990, and they later divorced in 1996. They have a daughter named Catherine.
Serving in the New York State Senate
Schneiderman was elected to represent the 31st district in the New York State Senate. This district covered parts of Manhattan, including the Upper West Side, Morningside Heights, and Washington Heights. It also included a part of Riverdale in the Bronx.
Winning Elections for State Senate
In 1998, Schneiderman won the Democratic primary election. He defeated Daniel O'Donnell, a civil rights attorney, with 68% of the votes. In the main election, he won against Vincent McGowen with 82% of the votes.
He was re-elected many times: in 2000 (84% of votes), 2002 (87%), 2004 (89%), 2006 (92%), and 2008 (90%). This shows he was a popular choice in his district.
Key Work in the Senate
As a State Senator, Schneiderman was a main supporter of changes to the Rockefeller drug laws. These laws were updated in 2009 by Governor David Paterson. The changes aimed to reduce very long, required prison sentences. They also helped fund programs that offered alternatives to prison, like treatment, and helped prisoners return to society.
He also worked on laws to improve ethics and stop fraud against taxpayers.
Becoming New York Attorney General
Attorney General Elections
Schneiderman became the Democratic Party's choice for New York Attorney General. In the Democratic primary election on September 14, 2010, he won against Kathleen Rice and three other candidates.
In the general election, Schneiderman defeated Republican candidate Dan Donovan. He officially started his job as Attorney General on January 1, 2011.
He was re-elected in 2014. His main opponent in that election was Republican John P. Cahill.
Important Work as Attorney General
As Attorney General, Schneiderman worked to make sure large banks paid for illegal foreclosure practices. He worked with California Attorney General Kamala Harris. They pushed to prevent banks from being protected from future investigations into other illegal activities.
In 2013, Schneiderman filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump regarding "Trump University". He claimed it was an "unlicensed university" and a "bait-and-switch scheme." Trump denied these claims. In 2014, a New York judge found Trump personally responsible because the institution did not have the required license.
In September 2013, Schneiderman announced an agreement with 19 companies. This agreement aimed to stop "astroturfing", which means buying fake online reviews or praise. He stated that this practice was like false advertising. The companies paid $350,000 to settle the issue.
In 2015, Schneiderman and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. faced a lawsuit. This lawsuit challenged New York's 1997 ban on mixed martial arts. The next year, the New York State Legislature made MMA legal in the state.
In November 2015, Schneiderman sent letters to daily fantasy sports companies, DraftKings and FanDuel. He said these companies were running an illegal gambling business in New York. This led to a six-month legal dispute. In March 2016, Schneiderman reached an agreement with the companies. They agreed to stop operating in New York for a while. Schneiderman agreed to drop most lawsuits if the New York State Legislature passed a law to legalize daily fantasy sports.
In 2017, during President Donald Trump's first year, the Trump administration tried to remove many environmental rules. Schneiderman filed over 50 lawsuits against these actions.
He also worked on a lawsuit that delayed the sale of The Weinstein Company. He wanted to make sure that victims would receive compensation from any sale.
Images for kids
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Then Attorney General Andrew Cuomo endorsing Schneiderman during the 2010 election.
See also
- List of Jewish American jurists
