Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused Judge Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, has told the Senate Judiciary Committee that she “would be prepared to testify next week,” so long as senators offer “terms that are fair and which ensure her safety,” the New York Times reports.

However, her lawyer said that the timetable Republicans have set for a hearing “is not possible and the Committee’s insistence that it occur then is arbitrary in any event.”

The lawyer reiterated that it is Dr. Blasey’s “strong preference” that “a full investigation” occur before her testimony but stopped short of demanding an F.B.I. probe and suggested she is open to testifying without one.

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh “was back at the White House complex Thursday, amid a week of visits that have included preparation for the possibility of additional Senate testimony,” NBC News reports.

“In a private session Tuesday, Kavanaugh was grilled by a small group of White House staff about his past, his dating life and his accuser… Kavanaugh, who returned to the White House for a third consecutive day Thursday, is ‘determined and hopeful.'”

“Dr. Ford passed a lie detector test and asked for an FBI investigation. Will Judge Kavanaugh do the same?”

— Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), on Twitter.

Jennifer Rubin: “Ford might choose to appear on Monday, and make a powerful opening statement accusing Republicans of running a sham investigation… In short, Ford can use the hearing to put the senators, who have behaved shabbily, on defense.”

“Ford has another option: Hold a news conference with her own experts and make the case directly to the American people. She can sit down for an interview with a respected TV journalist. She can say whatever she wants, make certain that experts are heard and even recount the much more extensive investigative efforts undertaken when Hill stepped forward. To make her case to the American people and convince them that she is sincere, honest and credible, Ford doesn’t need the Senate.”

“Ford also might have the ability to go to local police to investigate if the White House refuses to activate the FBI.”

Quinta Jurecic: “Ford’s story is highly credible. Kavanaugh denies it. This is where we are.”

“Here’s another question: What level of certainty about the nominee’s guilt should drive a senator to vote against that nominee? The standard to convict a defendant in criminal court is often understood as requiring anywhere from 95 to 100 percent certainty of the defendant’s guilt. In civil court, the ‘preponderance of the evidence’ standard requires 51 percent certainty. As the economist Justin Wolfers asked on Twitter, ‘Would you appoint someone to the Supreme Court if you think there were a 25 percent chance they’ve done bad things? A 10 percent chance? A 5 percent chance? A 1 percent chance?’”

Kathleen Davis: “Far too often in cases of sexual harassment or sexual violence, the accused is given the benefit of the doubt while the accuser is saddled with the burden of proof, even though studies show that the rate of false accusations is incredibly low (around 2-6%).

First Read: “Importantly, however, Ford’s lawyers have yet to say she won’t be testifying on Monday.”

“While this story remains a stalemate, each side has important questions to answer. For Republicans, why do they need to do this by Monday? What is one more week? It’s only September, and the election is still seven weeks from now. In addition, why no other witnesses?”

“For Ford and Democrats, if Monday isn’t suitable, don’t they need to provide a reasonable day that is? This limbo can’t go on forever.”