Ford's lawyers talked to Judiciary Committee staff on Thursday night, a committee spokesman said without giving details.

"While no sexual assault survivor should be subjected to such an ordeal, Dr. Ford wants to cooperate with the Committee and with law enforcement officials", the attorneys wrote.

Grassley has set a hearing for Monday for both Ford and Kavanaugh to testify about the incident. It said the telephone discussion ended with no decision.

Ford said that Kavanaugh and his male friend, who were reportedly drunk, laughed. They say they want to give Ford, now a professor at Palo Alto University, every chance to tell her story.

Here's why. Prior to her latest response, the growing expectation in Washington was that Kavanaugh's confirmation had been righted after being rocked by Ford's allegation last week.

Rather than attend parties, Ford disappeared. Kavanaugh has said that he is also willing to testify again in front of the committee.

In a letter to Prof Ford's legal team, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley said "it is not the FBI's role to investigate a matter such as this".

"Texans say confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court". After indicating earlier this week that she would appear before lawmakers, Ford wants other witnesses - not just Ford and Kavanaugh - to participate and wants the Federal Bureau of Investigation to reopen its background check of Kavanaugh.

"She wishes to testify, provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety", Katz wrote in the email, which was obtained by The Associated Press after first being reported by The New York Times. The lawyers added that "the Committee's insistence that it occur then is arbitrary in any event".

China Catholic bishops: Historic cope with Vatican reached
The Holy See will carry out its own investigation of the candidate before the pope either approves or exercises his veto, according to the Jesuit-run America magazine. "This is not the end of a process".

Lost Indonesian teen found in Guam waters after drifting for 49 days
Lamps suspended from the rompong help draw the fish in, and Aldi's job was to man the lamps each night. When his food supplies were exhausted, he survived by catching fish and drinking sea water.

Trump defends Kavanaugh and says 'he doesn't deserve this'
John Cornyn (R-Tex.) told reporters Tuesday, amid speculation that Kavanaugh would withdraw . "I will listen if she does". Taylor Foy, spokesman for Republicans who control the committee, said in a written statement, "We are happy that Dr.

"The FBI compiles information about a prospective nominee and sends it to the White House".

Media figures on MSNBC and CNN have criticized Democrats for their handling of a sexual assault accusation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Grassley, a Republican, sent a letter on Wednesday to Ford's lawyers giving her until 10 a.m. (1400 GMT) on Friday to submit prepared testimony if she meant to show up on Monday. "Because Dr Ford's allegations are in the public arena, there is no longer a need for a confidential FBI investigation", he said. The lawyers said it would be premature for her to testify and that the FBI should investigate first. That echoed Democrats' effort to broaden the nomination fight into a referendum on whether women who allege abuse are taken seriously by men - a theme that could echo in this November's elections for control of Congress.

Miranda later removed the post, explaining, cryptically, that the post "served its goal", and that she "was not ready" for the media attention the post garnered - even though NBC News and other outlets reported Miranda's claims as a major break in the Kavanaugh story.

The Senate is narrowly controlled by Republicans, who have embraced the idea of a quick vote on Kavanaugh's nomination if Ford does not to testify.

Groups of protesters, a lot of them women, clogged the lobby of Grassley's Senate office on Thursday and targeted other Republican lawmakers.

The protesters chanted, in part: "We believe Christine Ford!".

She spoke to the Washington Post in a story published Sunday.

Grassley announced later that he would convene a hearing with both Ford and Kavanaugh, who has denied her allegations, on the coming Monday.