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The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hear testimony on Thursday from Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, a research psychologist at Palo Alto University who says that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her while the two were in high school in the early 1980s.
Following opening statements from lawmakers, Ford will tell the committee about her allegation, first made public less than two weeks ago in an interview with The Washington Post, and will argue that she is speaking out because of her sense of civic duty.
"I have been accused of acting out of partisan political motives," Ford will say, according to her prepared remarks. "Those who say that do not know me."
Ahead of the start of the hearing, a lingering question mark is Ford's questioner, Rachel Mitchell, an Arizona sex-crimes prosecutor. Republicans have sought to avoid the spectacle of an all-male panel of GOP senators questioning a woman who claims to be a victim of sexual assault. In tapping an experienced female prosecutor, Republicans have also said they plan to avoid turning the hearing into a "political sideshow."
Kavanaugh will face questions second. The federal appeals court judge has categorically denied the allegations against him and is prepared to tell the committee that he "never did anything remotely resembling what Dr. Ford describes," according to his prepared remarks.
Kavanaugh is expected to face questions about the incident alleged to have taken place in a Maryland home in the summer of 1982, as well as his high school and college drinking habits. In an interview with Fox News Monday, Kavanaugh denied ever drinking to the point of blacking out.
Kavanaugh has said that in high school and college he was focused on athletics and his academic career, though some of his former classmates have cast doubt on his account. Democrats have also pointed to captions in his high school yearbook, in which he wrote that he was "treasurer" of "keg city club."
"I was not perfect in those days, just as I am not perfect today. I drank beer with my friends, usually on weekends. Sometimes I had too many," Kavanaugh will say in his opening statement. "In retrospect, I said and did things in high school that make me cringe now. But that's not why we are here today."
The hearing marks a pivotal moment in what has become a raucous confirmation process. Kavnaugh's chances, once thought to be assured, have been thrust into uncertainty since Ford came forward. On Thursday, a number of senators who are thought to be critical to Kavanaugh's confirmation vote, have said they will be watching closely.
The president himself, who has called all the allegations false, said Wednesday that he was open to Ford persuading him otherwise.
"I'm going to be watching, you know, believe it or not, I'm going to see what's said," Trump said. "It's possible that [Ford] will be convincing."
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