Washington: Christine Blasey Ford, the California professor claiming that US President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her nearly 36 years ago, Wednesday demanded a "full investigation" by the FBI before she attends any Congressional hearing or "interrogation" into her accusations.
Kavanaugh's nomination plunged into chaos after Ford, 51, told 'The Washington Post' that she was subjected to a sexual assault by Kavanaugh, 53, in high school in the early 1980s.
The Supreme Court nominee has rejected as "completely false" the sexual assault allegation, saying he was ready to testify before a Senate committee to "defend my integrity".
The new development appeared to have put in jeopardy the September 24 Congressional hearing when both Ford, clinical psychology professor at Palo Alto University, and Judge Kavanaugh are scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Speaking through her lawyers, Ford said the FBI investigation should be "the first step" before she is put "on national television to relive this traumatic and harrowing incident".
"As the Judiciary Committee has recognised and done before, an FBI investigation of the incident should be the first step in addressing her allegations," Ford's lawyers said in the letter addressed to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley.
"A full investigation by law enforcement officials will ensure that the crucial facts and witnesses in this matter are assessed in a non-partisan manner, and that the Committee is fully informed before conducting any hearing or making any decisions," said the letter reported by the CNN.
The Republicans, however, appeared to be going ahead with the scheduled Congressional hearing.
"Well, here's the plan, is to allow Ms Ford, if she chooses to come before the committee, next Monday. Publicly or privately, I want her to be heard. I don't want her to be shut out, and if she wants to do it privately, that's fine with me," Senator Lindsey Graham told Fox News Wednesday.
He said Judge Kavanaugh will also be given a chance to respond.
"We'll listen to what they have to say, compare everything in the record against a single allegation, and we'll make our decision Wednesday," Graham said.
"This is going to go forward Monday. I think this imminently fair, and what's happened to Judge Kavanaugh, in my view, throughout the entire process, has been pretty disgusting," he added.
Republicans hold a 51-49 majority in the Senate.
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