WASHINGTON,Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- Christine Blasey Ford, the college professor who has accused U.S. President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, is asking for an FBI investigation before a Senate hearing, multiple media outlets reported Tuesday.
Ford accused the judge of sexually assaulting her at a party in the 1980s when they were teenagers in high school. Kavanaugh has denied the allegations and Ford came forward publicly over the weekend.
In a letter addressed to Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley on Tuesday, Ford reportedly said she has been targeted by "vicious harassment and even death threats" since coming forward with sexual assault accusations against Kavanaugh.
On Tuesday night, Ford's attorney Lisa Banks told CNN that Ford was "not prepared to talk" at the Senate panel's public hearing scheduled for Monday.
"Asking her to come forward in four or five days and sit before the Judiciary Committee on national TV is not a fair process," Banks said.
Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat at the committee, said on Tuesday that the panel should respect Ford's wishes and thus delay the Monday hearing which she said is part of a "rushed" process.
"A proper investigation must be completed, witnesses interviewed, evidence reviewed and all sides spoken to. Only then should the chairman set a hearing date," Feinstein said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump defended Kavanaugh's reputation again, saying the FBI shouldn't probe into Ford's allegations.
"We are looking to get this done as quickly as possible," Trump said, "I don't think the FBI should be involved because they don't want to be involved."
Kavanaugh said in a statement on Monday that Ford made "a completely false allegation."
"I have never done anything like what the accuser describes to her or to anyone," the 53-year-old conservative federal appeals court judge said.
Trump nominated Kavanaugh in July to succeed retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, who announced his retirement in June. It was the second time in two years that Trump has made a Supreme Court pick.
