US Supreme Court nominee accuser agrees to testify

But the team will use the calendar to argue to the senators on the Judiciary Committee that they do not provide corroboration for Ford’s account of a small party in a house where he pinned her to a bed, groped her and stopped her from screaming. Through her lawyers she continues to refuse to testify, calling attempts to hear her side of the story under oath “bullying”, and drawing out negotiations.

Grassley set a new deadline for 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Chuck Grassley, to respond to the panel’s latest offer.

Earlier, Trump had said Ford should be heard, even if it meant a delay in the confirmation process. “The White House sees this as not an acceptance”.

Since then, her lawyers have been in a back-and-forth trying to agree on terms for her to testify. President Trump attacked Ford, asserting she would have gone to the police as a 15-year-old if the attempted rape was “that bad”. “The White House sees this as not an acceptance”. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss private conversations. “You know, when you take a look at this in honest terms, I believe that not only Judge Kavanaugh, but certainly Dr. Ford deserves a fair hearing”.

The committee chairman, GOP Sen.

If a final agreement on the details of the hearing is reached, that would set the stage for a dramatic, searing confrontation next week.

It was unclear whether Grassley would permit more negotiations Saturday, with patience among Republicans is running thin.

President Trump weighed in heavily on the allegations on social media on Friday.

On Saturday, vice-president Mike Pence described Mr Kavanaugh as “a man of integrity with impeccable credentials”. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) repeatedly vowed he would confirm Kavanaugh.

After the deadline passed, Senator Chuck Grassley – the lead Republican on the judiciary committee – said he had granted her “another extension” to allow Prof Ford to decide if she wanted to proceed.

The testimony will be a public hearing at 10:00 AM ET on Thursday.

The tentative accord could close days of brinkmanship over whether Ford would testify. Her family has been moved out of their home. “I want to listen to Dr. Ford”. I hope you understand. “It’s not my normal approach to b indecisive”, the Iowa senator wrote.

And a temporary communications adviser to Grassley during the Supreme Court confirmation fight has abruptly resigned after an accusation of sexual harassment – an allegation he denies.

Kavanaugh has denied the allegation and pledged to testify.

The committee’s Republican leadership turned down those demands.

Additionally, as the only other woman supposedly at the gathering, Keyser’s statement may hold more weight with key Republican Sen.

Ford’s lawyer, Debra Katz, said the 10 PM deadline was “arbitrary”.

Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) came forward to say she has never met Brett Kavanaugh, let alone attended a party with him in the early 1980s.

“Dr. Ford will tell her story in the face of an impossible choice and vile bullying by Republican leadership”, said Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of CT, a Judiciary Committee member.

The president’s comments infuriated Democrats, dismayed many Republicans and risked further alienating women voters ahead of the November 6 mid-term elections, in which Democrats have a chance to win control of the House and perhaps the Senate.

“But she should come forward, she should have her say”. “So Republicans, no matter what happens in the midterms, can push a Supreme Court nominee through until the end of the year”.

The president’s tweet brought blistering rejoinders from Democrats and a mix of silence and sighs of regret from his own party.