Of course, following the resignation of New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman (D) for allegations of beating his various girlfriends over the years, a key concern for the liberal media has been ensuring his litany of litigation against President Trump would continue onward.
It was a major point of discussion during CNN Newsroom Tuesday afternoon as host Brianna Keilar questioned CNN political commentator and NY1 host Errol Louis about the future of the numerous lawsuits.
“One of the biggest champions of the #MeToo movement is now being investigated over allegations that he physically abused women,” Keilar began the segment. “He has also spearheaded several legal efforts that include those against Trump University, for DACA, and also against the President's travel ban.”
After wondering to her guest about how odd it was for Schneiderman to act as he did in private given his outward persona, Keilar went right to the heart of the concerns for liberals everywhere: “So what happens now to the cases that he is working on?”
Louis immediately began to try to calm the fears of CNN’s viewers by explaining how the cases were in the “very good hands” of Acting AG Barbara Underwood. “Very well regarded. She was the solicitor general. Has argued 20 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Impeccable credentials. Very, very well regarded,” he explained, effectively vouching for her and reassuring people the suits against Trump would continue.
Despite Schneiderman’s predicament, Louis touted his “pretty aggressive” work in going after the President:
The chart that you just put up shows that many of them are really kind of defiant of the Trump administration reflecting Eric Schneiderman's penchant for taking on powerful forces if he thought the cause was right.
“So, on questions like DACA, Trump University, he was front and center. The Muslim ban, the travel ban those cases will continue, without question,” he added.
Keilar’s next tone deaf concern was how the allegations allowed for Schneiderman's critics to take shots at him. “And Donald Trump Jr., for instance, has been celebrating the news. Kellyanne Conway tweeted ‘gotcha.’ It gives a lot of ammunition to Schneiderman's enemies, this story does,” she complained.
Louis responded by chiding Trump Jr. and Conway, telling them they shouldn’t get their hopes up because another anti-Trump liberal would just fill the position.
“The reality is, whoever inherits that seat, if they are a liberal democratic, and the politics all lean in that direction they are going to continue what the last three attorneys general have done,” he boasted. “I mean, before Schneiderman there was Cuomo. Before Andrew Cuomo, there was Elliot Spitzer. All of them have been very aggressive, hitting these national issues.”
It’s sick and twisted that. while covering the story of a major New York Democrat who allegedly beat his girlfriends over the years, CNN thought it was important to clarify what would happen to his cases targeting Trump.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
CNN Newsroom
May 8, 2018
3:42:44 PM EasternBRIANNA KEILAR: One of the biggest champions of the #MeToo movement is now being investigated over allegations that he physically abused women. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman abruptly resigned last night just a few hours after The New Yorker published details from four women, two of them on the record accusing Schneiderman of assault, non-consensual violence during sex and issuing death threats again them. Schneiderman denies the charges against him. He has also spearheaded several legal efforts that include those against Trump University, for DACA, and also against the President's travel ban. Joining me now, CNN political commentator Errol Lewis.
(…)
KEILAR: So what happens now to the cases that he is working on?
ERROL LOUIS: Well the cases themselves will be in very good hands actually. Barbara Underwood who is going to be running the office. She is the acting attorney general now. Very well regarded. She was the solicitor general. Has argued 20 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Impeccable credentials. Very, very well regarded.
So, the cases themselves will continue. Some of them are pretty aggressive. The chart that you just put up shows that many of them are really kind of defiant of the Trump administration reflecting Eric Schneiderman's penchant for taking on powerful forces if he thought the cause was right.
So, on questions like DACA, Trump University, he was front and center. The Muslim ban, the travel ban those cases will continue, without question. I think the larger question though is who is going to inherit them? And what will be the nature of their stance not only toward the Trump administration but frankly towards Wall Street? I mean a whole other part of Eric Schneiderman's portfolio dealt with suing companies like Goldman Sachs. You know, he was really front and center, very, very prominent. It's somewhat the nature of the position. In part because state laws cover a lot of activity on Wall Street.
KEILAR: And he was taking on Harvey Weinstein and his brother as well in addition to Wall Street and in addition to Donald Trump. And Donald Trump Jr., for instance, has been celebrating the news. Kellyanne Conway tweeted “gotcha.” It gives a lot of ammunition to Schneiderman's enemies, this story does.
LOUIS: It does. But I have to tell you -- and I wrote about this on CNN.com. I mean, that's a passing phenomenon. The reality is -- and Donald Trump Jr. shouldn't get his hopes up about this, nor Kellyanne Conway. The reality is, whoever inherits that seat, if they are a liberal democratic, and the politics all lean in that direction they are going to continue what the last three attorneys general have done.
I mean, before Schneiderman there was Cuomo. Before Andrew Cuomo, there was Elliot Spitzer. All of them have been very aggressive, hitting these national issues, taking on Wall Street, taking on powerful enemies all over the place because it is really a very important kind of national perch. A lot of national issues, national ambitions are hatched right there in that attorney general's office. That's not going to stop just because we had somebody resign under a cloud.
