Jeff Flake, Bob Corker Don't Want Brett Kavanaugh Vote Delayed

Republican senators are urging the Judiciary Committee to vote on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in a timely manner amid confusion surrounding whether the woman accusing him of sexual assault plans to testify next week.

Christine Blasey Ford, who goes by Christine Blasey professionally, sent a letter to committee chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on Tuesday in which she asked for an FBI investigation to occur before her testimony. The hearing had been scheduled to take place next Monday.

She said the investigation would ensure that the crucial facts and witnesses in this matter are assessed in a non-partisan manner, and that the Committee is fully informed before conducting any hearing or making any decisions.

The committee decided Tuesday to postpone its vote on Kavanaugh in light of Blaseys allegation that the nominee sexually assaulted her when they were in high school.

But some senators have made it clear that they dont want to see the vote delayed much longer.

After learning of the allegation, Chairman Chuck Grassley took immediate action to ensure both Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh have the opportunity to be heard, in public or private, Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) tweeted Tuesday. Republicans extended a hand in good faith. If we dont hear from both sides on Monday, lets vote.

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) chimed in Tuesday as well, imploring Blasey to accept the invitation to testify next week in a public or private setting.

The committee should hear her voice, he said.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a key undecided senator, on Wednesday echoed her GOP colleagues and urged Blasey to testify next week.

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.

Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you.

Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.

Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.

Support HuffPost

I hope that Dr. Ford will reconsider and testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday. It is my understanding that the Committee has offered to hold either a public or a private session, whichever would make her more comfortable.

Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) September 19, 2018","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Sen. Susan Collins","author_url":"https://twitter.com/SenatorCollins","cache_age":86400,"description":"I hope that Dr. Ford will reconsider and testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday. It is my understanding that the Committee has offered to hold either a public or a private session, whichever would make her more comfortable. Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) September 19, 2018\n\n","provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Sen. Susan Collins on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/SenatorCollins/status/1042463394509598721","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5ba25072e4b046313fc140c4","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/flake-corker-kavanaugh-vote-delayed_n_5ba25072e4b046313fc140c4","entryTagsList":"sexual-assault,brett-kavanaugh,chuck-grassley,bob-corker,jeff-flake,@health_erectile,@health_ibs,@health_models","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"women","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":10},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5ba25072e4b046313fc140c4","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"sexual assault","slug":"sexual-assault","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/sexual-assault","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/sexual-assault","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/sexual-assault"},"section":{"title":"Women","slug":"women"},"topic":{"title":"Sexual Assault","slug":"sexual-assault","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/topic/sexual-assault"},{"name":"Brett Kavanaugh","slug":"brett-kavanaugh","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/brett-kavanaugh","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/brett-kavanaugh","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/brett-kavanaugh"},"relegenceId":4200933,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Brett Kavanaugh","slug":"brett-kavanaugh","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/brett-kavanaugh"},{"name":" chuck grassley ","slug":"chuck-grassley","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/chuck-grassley","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/chuck-grassley","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/chuck-grassley"},"relegenceId":3594102,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Chuck Grassley","slug":"chuck-grassley","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/chuck-grassley"},{"name":" bob corker","slug":"bob-corker","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/bob-corker","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/bob-corker","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/bob-corker"},"relegenceId":3870477,"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Politics","slug":"politics"},"topic":{"title":"Bob Corker","slug":"bob-corker","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/bob-corker"},{"name":"jeff flake","slug":"jeff-flake","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/jeff-flake","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/jeff-flake","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/jeff-flake"},"relegenceId":3607448,"url":"https://action.news/topic/jeff-flake"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

I hope that Dr. Ford will reconsider and testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday. It is my understanding that the Committee has offered to hold either a public or a private session, whichever would make her more comfortable.
Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) September 19, 2018

Blasey first sent a confidential letter to Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) over the summer in which she detailed the alleged assault. It wasnt until last week that Feinstein acknowledged the existence of the document, and Blasey came forward in a Washington Post article published on Sunday. She said Monday she was willing to testify.

This article has been updated with Collins tweet.