WASHINGTON _ Supreme Court nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh and the woman accusing him of sexual assault have offered to testify before the Senate, increasing the likelihood that a preliminary vote this week on President Donald Trump's nominee will be delayed.
Christine Blasey Ford "is willing to do whatever it takes to get her story forth," attorney Debra Katz said of her client on the "Today" show Monday morning.
Kavanaugh denied the allegation and also offered to testify "in any way the committee deems appropriate to refute this false allegation, from 36 years ago, and defend my integrity."
Three moderate Democrats and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, called on the Senate Judiciary Committee to hear the testimony, increasing the likelihood that the planned Thursday committee vote on Kavanaugh's nomination would be delayed, though GOP leaders insisted they would try to keep the process on track.
Two other Republicans, Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee and Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, who sits on the committee, have expressed interest in hearing from Ford.
Katz said Ford considers the incident, which happened when both Ford and Kavanaugh were in high school, as an "attempted rape." Katz denied that Ford has a political motive to try to thwart President Trump's nominee.
"No one in their right mind regardless of their motive would want to inject themselves into this process and face the kind of annihilation that she will be subjected to by those who want this nominee to go through," Katz said. "This is not a politically motivated action."
On Monday, Kavanaugh reiterated his strong denial.
"This is a completely false allegation," he said in a statement. "I have never done anything like what the accuser describes _ to her or to anyone. Because this never happened, I had no idea who was making this accusation until she identified herself yesterday."
The administration is standing by Kavanaugh, who visited the White House Monday morning. Spokesperson Kerri Kupec on Monday recirculated a previous statement in support.
"On Friday, Judge Kavanaugh 'categorically and unequivocally' denied this allegation," she said. "This has not changed. Judge Kavanaugh and the White House both stand by that statement."
White House adviser Kellyanne Conway told Fox News that Ford should be heard and allowed to testify under oath.
"This woman should not be ignored and should not be insulted," Conway said. "She should be heard."
