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Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Christine Blasey Ford's lawyers said Sunday she will testify in an open hearing about her sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Attorneys Debra Katz, Lisa Banks and Michael Bromwich issued a statement saying Ford was committed to testifying in the hearing Thursday after speaking with staff for the Senate Judiciary Committee on Sunday, CNN reported.
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"Despite actual threats to her safety and her life, Dr. Ford believes it is important for Senators to hear directly from her about the sexual assault committed against her," the statement said.
The lawyers added Ford would testify although "important procedural and logistical issues remain unresolved," including the decision not to subpoena Mark Judge, who Ford said witnessed the assault but denied any memory of the incident and declined to testify.
"They have also refused to invite other witnesses who are essential for a fair hearing that arrives at the truth about the sexual assault," the statement said.
Kavanaugh has denied the allegations and has also agreed to testify in the hearing.
Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee agreed to six of 10 demands made by Ford regarding the hearing, adding they "are not going to turn the hearing over to her lawyers" by allowing them to dictate which witnesses to call or what order to call them in.
"I want to listen to Dr. Ford," Graham said. "I feel sorry for her. I think she's being used here. If she truly wanted to be anonymous, the person who brought this allegation to the public owes her an apology."
Graham added he believes Ford was "betrayed" by Democrats after she sent a confidential letter about the allegations to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., in July.
"I don't know what Dr. Ford expected us to do with an anonymous letter. If she wanted to stay anonymous those who betrayed her need to apologize," he said.
Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, told CNN State of the Union host Jake Tapper she planned to ask Kavanaugh about "what kind of environment it was in high school" when the alleged assault took place.
"Apparently, there was a lot of drinking and partying going on," she said.
Hirono also said she believes the issue would require an independent investigation by the FBI.
"This is totally untoward, because, remember, during the Anita Hill days, there was an investigation, perfunctory as that was. But Dr. Ford is not even afforded that. Meanwhile, she's coming forward and very bravely saying, 'I will tell my story,'" said Hirono. "So I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that she can tell her story free of intimidation, fear and the kind of threats that she's already getting for even coming forward with it."
Hirono added she "had issues" with Kavanaugh's credibility prior to the allegations and implied if Kavanaugh is confirmed, the issue could be investigated further, leading to his potential impeachment.
"Frankly, I have such concerns about this person getting to the Supreme Court," she said. "But, on the other hand, we know that -- I know that Maryland has eliminated the statute of limitations for kidnapping and for sexual assault of a minor. And I think that is still out there. And so there may be an investigation along those lines. So, I think that this is a situation that is not going to go away."
