The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Dianne Feinstein of California, said Thursday that she has referred a letter concerning Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh to federal authorities.
"I have received information from an individual concerning the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court," Sen. Feinstein said. "That individual strongly requested confidentiality, declined to come forward or press the matter further, and I have honored that decision. I have, however, referred the matter to federal investigative authorities."
Feinstein's announcement came shortly after the committee set a date to vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation.
It followed a report Wednesday night in the investigative news outlet The Intercept that first disclosed the existence of the letter. According to the outlet, the letter is rumored to include details about an incident involving Kavanaugh that took place during his time at Georgetown Preparatory School in Maryland.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told Buzzfeed News earlier in the day that the letter had been referred to the FBI. A source familiar with the matter confirmed Durbin's comments to CNBC Thursday.
The letter was reportedly written by someone affiliated with Stanford University, who is not the subject of the letter, and was originally sent to Rep. Anna Eshoo, who represents California's 14th district, before being passed along to Feinstein. A spokesperson for Eshoo's office declined to comment on the matter.
"Our office has a confidentiality policy regarding constituent casework," the spokesperson told NBC News.
Feinstein has not shared details about the letter beyond her statement Thursday, and no other senators on the Judiciary Committee have been permitted to see it, according to reports.
The woman who is the subject of the letter is reportedly represented by Debra Katz, a whistleblower attorney who has been described as "Washington's top attorney for women who want to fight back" in a profile in the magazine The Washingtonian.
Katz, who did not respond to a request for comment from CNBC, represented one of the women who accused former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman of physical abuse before he was forced to resign earlier this year.
"There's nothing to say," Katz told BuzzFeed News Wednesday.
-- CNBC's Dan Mangan and Kevin Breuninger contributed to this report.
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