The New York Times reports that the Senate Judiciary Committee, led by Republican Charles Grassley, has tentatively agreed that Dr. Christine Blasley Ford will testify on Thursday concerning her charge that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were both teenagers.
After a brief call late on Saturday, the woman’s lawyers and aides to Senator Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, the Republican chairman of the Judiciary Committee, planned to talk again Sunday morning to continue the halting negotiations over the conditions of the testimony, according to three people familiar with the call. Aides to Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, the committee’s top Democrat, were also involved.
Negotiations could still falter over those details, which include who will question the woman, Christine Blasey Ford. But in tentatively agreeing to a Thursday hearing, Republicans made a significant concession that suggested they were working to ensure that the session occurred after several days of uncertainty.
If no final deal is made, Mr. Grassley will be left to decide on Sunday whether to move ahead with a committee vote on Judge Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination that is scheduled for Monday. Judge Kavanaugh, who has vigorously denied the allegations, has repeatedly expressed his desire to testify.