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Kavanaugh Accuser Wants FBI Probe Before Hearing, Lawyer Says

Kavanaugh Accuser Wants FBI Probe Before Hearing, Lawyer Says

(Bloomberg) -- A lawyer for the woman who accuses Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her decades ago said a public Senate committee hearing set for next week should be put on hold until the FBI investigates the allegation.

Lawyer Lisa Banks told CNN that her client, California college professor Christine Blasey Ford, is prepared to cooperate with the Senate Judiciary Committee and law enforcement, but nothing of “substance” can happen between now and Monday, when the hearing is scheduled.

Banks says she has reached out to Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley and the top Democrat on the panel, Senator Dianne Feinstein, on how to proceed. The lawyer said Ford has received death threats and isn’t prepared for a hearing as soon as Monday.

Kavanaugh has repeatedly denied Ford’s allegation that he sexually assaulted her at a party in Maryland when they were in high school.

The New York Times reported that Ford, through her lawyers, said an investigation should be "the first step" before she appears before the committee to describe her allegation.

Republicans have said Monday is the time for Ford to testify, and they haven’t discussed any possibility of a delay.

To contact the reporters on this story: Laura Litvan in Washington at llitvan@bloomberg.net;Kim Chipman in Chicago at kchipman@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Joe Sobczyk at jsobczyk@bloomberg.net, Laurie Asséo, John Harney

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