Kavanaugh accuser commits to hearing

WASHINGTON — Lawyers for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, and the Senate Judiciary Committee have reached agreement for a public hearing Thursday, as talks continued to resolve additional details ahead of the high-stakes showdown.

Ford committed to an “open” hearing after negotiators convened a call on Sunday, her lawyers said in a statement. A spokesman for the committee’s chairman, Sen. Chuck Grassley, confirmed the hearing would take place at 10 a.m. Thursday.

“We’ve made important progress,” said Ford’s lawyers Debra S. Katz, Lisa J. Banks, and Michael R. Bromwich. “Dr. Ford believes it is important for senators to hear directly from her about the sexual assault committed against her. She has agreed to move forward.”

Ford, now a 51-year-old California college professor, went public last week with her allegation that Kavanaugh assaulted her at a party when they were in high school. Kavanaugh, 53, an appellate court judge, denied the allegation and said he wanted to testify as soon as possible to clear his name.

A final accord could bring to a close days of brinkmanship that have roiled Washington ahead of midterm elections and threatened to jeopardize Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the court, even as some Republicans say the additional hearings may do little to change their support for him.