FBI reaches out to second Kavanaugh accuser

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has reached out to Deborah Ramirez, the second woman who has accused Brett Kavanaugh of inappropriate sexual behaviour, in its background investigation of the Supreme Court nominee, according to her lawyer.

"We can confirm that the FBI has reached out to interview Ramirez and she has agreed to cooperate with their investigation," Ramirez's attorney, John Clune, told CNN on Saturday.

"Out of respect for the integrity of the process, we will have no further comment at this time."

Ramirez came forward with her allegation in The New Yorker, telling the magazine that Kavanaugh exposed himself to her at dormitory party while the two were undergraduate students at Yale.

The FBI is also investigating the allegation of Christine Blasey Ford that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were in high school.

Kavanaugh has vehemently denied both allegations.

On Friday, President Donald Trump directed the FBI to re-open its background investigation of his nominee after Republican Senator Jeff Flake called for a one-week delay to the Senate floor vote on the nomination so that the agency could investigate Ford's allegations.

A senior Republican leadership aide told CNN that the first key procedural vote on the Senate floor on Kavanaugh's nomination would be no later than October 5 and could happen sooner if the FBI wraps up its investigation before then.

--IANS

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