Second Accuser against Brett Kavanaugh Surfaces, Calls for FBI Investigation

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., retorted that if McConnell believed the allegations were a smear, "Why don't you call for an FBI investigation?"

Grassley's spokesman, George Hartmann, told CNN that the chairman will "look into" the new allegation, but there are no plans at the moment to delay the Thursday hearing. The Judiciary panel said it had talked to three other people whom Ford has told The Washington Post were at the party where the alleged assault took place - Mark Judge, Patrick J. Smyth and Leland Ingham Keyser. "This is a smear, plain and simple", he said. "Today I am wearing black in solidarity with Dr. Christine Blasey Ford", Washington wrote.

A White House spokeswoman adds in a second statement that the allegation is "designed to tear down a good man".

He said the charges "could be one of the single most unfair, unjust things to happen for a candidate for anything".

The agreement and the latest accusation set the stage for a dramatic showdown as Kavanaugh and Ford each tell their side of the story.

A White House official said President Donald Trump stands 100% behind Kavanaugh.

Schuette has aligned himself with Trump and has received the president's endorsement. But Republicans tried projecting unflinching support for Kavanaugh that included the nominee taking the unusual step of defending himself in a television interview.

This report contains reporting from The Associated Press and AFP.

Since The New Yorker ran the article, it has been taking heat for running it given that Ramirez admits she was intoxicated at the time some 35 years ago, and only "a$3 fter six days of carefully assessing her memories and consulting with her attorney" did she decide Kavanaugh had been the culprit.

Trump contended that Ford´s decision to wait so late before going public shows the incident probably was not "as bad as she says" - even if this runs counter to what experts say is the typical reaction of sexual assault victims afraid or embarrassed to report.

A lawyer for Judge told the committee he has "no memory of the alleged incident" and has never seen Kavanaugh act the way Ford describes.

"I don't think Brett would flash himself to Debbie, or anyone, for that matter", he said.

"It's very hard. It's very hard to have these conversations with your children, which we've had to have some broader terms for our youngest", Ashley said. They note that neither the accusers nor news organizations have found people willing to provide corroboration, even though both women have named people who they said were present at the alleged incidents.

"We were the people closest to Brett Kavanaugh during his first year at Yale".

Those classmates also said that behavior like that Ramirez describes would have been very out-of-character for Kavanaugh.

At least two women have directly accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault in high school or college.

Trump is suggesting the timing of the New Yorker article is further evidence of what he has been saying privately for days: that the Democrats and media are conspiring to undermine his pick. Ramirez and her attorney could not be reached for comment on the record.

"If one Republican senator should decide that Dr Ford´s allegations, assertions, are true, and that they are serious, it could make a big difference in the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh", Democratic Senator Dick Durbin said on ABC´s "This Week".

Neither allegation has been corroborated, and Kavanaugh has issued strong denials to both.

McConnell also insinuated that a staffer leaked Ford's letter-in which Ford informed Democratic lawmakers of her allegation-at the last hour for political reasons.