Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday called the sexual harassment and abuse allegations against now-resigned Attorney General Eric Schneiderman shocking and disturbing.

Cuomo made the remarks while speaking with reporters on a tour of the new bridge named after his late father in Tarrytown, N.Y.

He says the courts should decide what happens next.

"These women should have their day in court. They should have the opportunity to tell a district attorney the facts and circumstances and then let the district attorney or district attorneys make the decision as to whether there is any criminal liability," Cuomo said.

A sea of media has been gathered outside Schneiderman's Upper West Side apartment since the news broke Monday night.

Four women accused State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman of abusive behavior and excessive drinking in an article published online by the New Yorker.

The allegations were so damning that top Democrats immediately called for his resignation.

Just two hours and 57 minutes after the article appeared online Schneiderman released a statement which read, "While these allegations are unrelated to my professional conduct or the operations of the office, they will effectively prevent me from leading the office’s work at this critical time."

The four women quoted in the New Yorker article say they were subjected to non-consensual physical violence by Schneiderman.

Two of them went on the record with their names.

Schneiderman's ex-girlfriend Michelle Manning Barish describes an incident in 2013, where she says, "All of a sudden, he just slapped me, open-handed and with great force, across the face, landing the blow directly onto my ear.... He then used his body weight to hold me down, and he began to choke me."

Manning Barish also says Schneiderman threatened her if she ever wrote about their relationship.

In the article, she recalls saying to him, "Jaywalking is against the law," and him responding, "I am the law."

She also describes heavy use of alcohol by Schneiderman, and says he abused prescription medications.

She says, "[Schneiderman] would almost always drink two bottles of wine in a night, then bring a bottle of Scotch into the bedroom. He would get absolutely plastered five nights out of seven."

Author Tanya Selvaratnam says she experienced similar abusive behavior from Schniederman while they dated in 2016 and 2017.

She is quoted saying, “I was scared what he might do if I left him,” she says. “He had said he would have to kill me if we broke up, on multiple occasions. He also told me he could have me followed and could tap my phone.”

In a post on Twitter linking to the article Monday night, Manning Barish said, "After the most difficult month of my life-I spoke up. For my daughter and for all women. I could not remain silent and encourage other women to be brave for me."

Schneiderman himself says he engaged in role-playing in some of his sexual activities, but denies any non-consensual behavior, as well as threats, alcoholism, and drug use.

On Monday night, Governor Andrew Cuomo said he would encourage one of the state's DAs to take the lead on a Schneiderman investigation. 

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance's office issued a very brief statement that he has already opened an investigation into the Schneiderman allegations.

The NYPD says it has not received any complaints about Schneiderman yet, but the department promises to investigate thoroughly if a complaint comes through.

Governor Cuomo quickly condemned the allegations and asked Schneiderman to resign.

He released a statement saying, "No one is above the law, including New York's top legal officer.  I will be asking an appropriate New York District Attorney to commence an immediate investigation, and proceed as the facts merit. My personal opinion is that given the damning pattern of facts and corroboration laid out in the article, I do not believe it is possible for Eric Schneiderman to continue to serve as Attorney General, and for the good of the office, he should resign."

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie agreed with the governor.

He said, "These are very serious allegations. I support Governor Cuomo's call for a thorough investigation."

City Council Speaker Corey Johnson added, "New Yorkers deserve and expect more from their Attorney General, who as the state’s chief law enforcement officer has an obligation to uphold the law. Eric Schneiderman must step down immediately."

Eric Schneiderman has been a major critic of President Donald Trump.

He sued Trump University for fraud in 2013, and last month he said he would look for ways to bring state charges against anyone who has received a pardon from Trump for similar federal charges.

After news of his scandal broke, a number of Trump associates took to Twitter Monday night.

White House adviser Kellyanne Conway tweeted "Gotcha." That was her response to Schneiderman's tweet from last year that read, "No one is above the law, and I'll continue to remind President Trump and his administration of that fact everyday."

The president's son, Donald Trump Jr., responded to a Schneiderman tweet from September where the Attorney General said, "Sexual assault survivors, what happened to you is unconscionable. We have your back and we are fighting for you.

Trump Jr's response was, "This didn't age well."

The president himself tweeted about Schneiderman's downfall back in 2013, before Trump was even a candidate.

Trump compared Schneiderman to former Congressman Anthony Weiner and former Governor Eilot Spitzer, who were both brought down by sex scandals.

In that tweet, Trump said, "Weiner is gone, Spitzer is gone - next will be lightweight A.G. Eric Schneiderman. Is he a crook? Wait and see, worse than Spitzer or Weiner".