State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced a civil rights investigation on Monday into The Weinstein Co. following sexual harassment and assault allegations against its co-founder, Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

As part of the investigation, the prosecutor's office issued a subpoena seeking company records on harassment complaints and legal settlements to determine whether any civil rights and anti-discrimination laws were broken.

“No New Yorker should be forced to walk into a workplace ruled by sexual intimidation, harassment or fear,” said Schneiderman, a Democrat. “If sexual harassment or discrimination is pervasive at a company, we want to know.”

The New York City-based company fired Weinstein on October 8 after The New York Times and The New Yorker exposed allegations of sexual assault and harassment spanning decades.

More than three dozen women, including Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie, have publicly accused the entertainment mogul of abuse. Weinstein has denied allegations of non-consensual sex.

A woman who answered the phone in The Weinstein Co.'s media relations office said the company had no comment on the subpoena or news of the investigation.

Police in Los Angeles, New York City and London are also investigating Harvey Weinstein over allegations of sex abuse in those cities.

The Oscar winner was expelled from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and the Producers Guild of America has started the process of expelling him.

The allegations have prompted calls in Albany to use the power of the state to crack down on harassment. Democratic Assembly woman Nily Rozic of Queens proposed legislation that would make designers, photographers, retailers and others liable for harassment experienced by models.

Another lawmaker, Democratic Assembly woman Linda Rosenthal of Manhattan, proposed a legislation that would make companies ineligible for state tax incentives if they fail to address chronic harassment problems in the workplace.

Opinion

Editorial

US asylum freeze
Updated 05 Dec, 2025

US asylum freeze

IT is clear that the Trump administration is using last week’s shooting incident, in which two National Guard...
Colours of Basant
05 Dec, 2025

Colours of Basant

THE mood in Lahore is unmistakably festive as the city prepares for Basant’s colourful kites to once again dot the...
Karachi’s death holes
05 Dec, 2025

Karachi’s death holes

THE lidless manholes in Karachi lay bare the failure of the city administration to provide even the bare necessities...
Protection for all
Updated 04 Dec, 2025

Protection for all

ACHIEVING true national cohesion is not possible unless Pakistanis of all confessional backgrounds are ensured their...
Growing trade gap
04 Dec, 2025

Growing trade gap

PAKISTAN’S merchandise exports have been experiencing a pronounced decline for the last several months, with...
Playing both sides
04 Dec, 2025

Playing both sides

THERE has been yet another change in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly. The PML-N’s regional...