The New York Times on Thursday obtained a copy of an email that Debra Katz, Ford's lawyer, sent to committee staff members requesting a call between Katz, Ford and members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in order to "discuss the conditions under which [Ford] would be prepared to testify next week."
"As you are aware, she's been receiving death threats which have been reported to the FBI, and she and her family have been forced out of their home," Katz wrote to the committee. "She wishes to testify, provided that we can agree on terms that are fair and which ensure her safety. A hearing on Monday is not possible, and the committee's insistence that it occur then is arbitrary in any event."
"Dr. Ford has asked me to let you know that she appreciates the various options you have suggested. Her strong preference continues to be for the Senate Judiciary Committee to allow for a full investigation prior to her testimony," the letter continues.
Katz's email surfaced after it was reported earlier this week that Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee were considering organizing outside counsel to take the lead on questioning Ford. Some reports suggested that Republicans would use female staffers should Ford decide to testify about her sexual assault accusations against Kavanaugh.
It was previously revealed by Katz on Tuesday that Ford would not be publicly testifying on September 24, when the lawyer sat down for an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper. At the time, Katz stressed that an FBI investigation into the allegations "should be the first step." It was announced on Monday that a public hearing would be held.
As the divide continues to grow regarding Kavanaugh's fitness for the Supreme Court, some two dozen protesters calling for the end of his nomination were arrested on Thursday at the Dirksen Senate Office.
— Henry Rodgers (@henryrodgersdc) September 20, 2018
Activists were protesting outside of the offices of Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine). Protesters are being charged under a Washington, DC, law that prohibits activists from crowding hallways on the grounds, a Capitol Police spokesperson told The Hill.
— Marianna Sotomayor (@MariannaNBCNews) September 20, 2018
Ford came forward with her allegations in July when she reached out to California Democrats Rep. Anna Eshoo and Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Ford's allegations made headlines recently after news broke that Feinstein had obtained a letter detailing allegations of sexual misconduct by Kavanaugh.
The California professor has alleged that when she and Kavanaugh were at a high school party in the early 1980s, she was shoved into a bedroom by the now-Supreme Court nominee and his friend, Mark Judge. Within moments, Ford alleged, Kavanaugh pinned her down, covered her mouth with his hand to silence her protests and attempted to remove her clothing. Judge allegedly turned up the music in the room to prevent anyone from overhearing what was happening.
Kavanaugh has responded to the allegations, saying, "I categorically and unequivocally deny this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time." Judge, in a separate statement, has indicated that he has "no memory" of the incident.
Kavanaugh was a student at Maryland's Georgetown Preparatory School when the alleged situation unfolded; Ford attended Holton-Arms, also in Maryland.
