Brett Kavanaugh: Five of the most important moments in Trump Supreme Court nominee's hearing

Dramatic day in congress includes testimony from woman accusing judge of 1982 sexual assault

Donald Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh, faced a dramatic day of hearings that feature testimony from a woman accusing him of historical sexual assault.

The conservative judge vehemently and often angrily denied wrongdoing as he was interrogated by senators over the allegations, which he suggested were part of left-wing efforts to prevent his appointment to the highest court in the country.

His accuser, Dr Christine Blasey Ford, one of several women to come forward with claims of sexual misconduct against the 53-year-old since his nomination, also provided at times tearful testimony to senators.

The professor alleges Mr Kavanaugh attacked her during a Maryland house party in 1982, when he was 17 and she was 15, while one of his friends watched on.

Members of the Republican majority Senate Judiciary Committee are set to meet on Friday to consider whether to approve Mr Kavanaugh’s candidacy, after which the entire senate will vote on his confirmation.

However, the appeals court judge’s future remains unclear after a day in congress that produced several major talking points.

Ford's tearful description of assault to senators

Ms Ford emotionally recounted to senators the night Mr Kavanaugh allegedly assaulted her while the pair were still in high school.

The professor said she was not giving evidence because she wanted to, but she felt it was her “civic duty” to give her account of the incident.

“Brett groped me and tried to take off my clothes. He had a hard time because he was very inebriated and because I was wearing a one-piece bathing suit under my clothing,” she told senators.

“I believed he was going to rape me. I tried to yell for help, when I did, Brett put his hand over my mouth to stop me from yelling.

“This was what terrified me the most, and has had the most lasting impact on my life. It was hard for me to breathe, and I thought that Brett was accidentally going to kill me.”

Ford ‘100 per cent’ sure Kavanaugh was attacker

Ms Ford rejected a theory devised in some Republican circles that she had mistaken the identity of the men who assaulted her at the party.

When asked by Democratic senator Dianne Feinstein “How are you so sure that it was [Mr Kavanuagh]?” who carried out the assault, she replied: “The same way that I am sure I am talking to you right now.”

“So you what you’re telling us is that this could not be a case of mistaken identity?” Senator Feinstein asked. “Absolutely not,” Ms Ford said.

Illinois senator Dick Durbin, addressing the mistaken identity theory, asked: “With what degree of certainty do you believe Brett Kavanaugh assaulted you?

“100 per cent,” Ms Ford replied.

Kavanaugh attacks Democrats over ‘search and destroy’ tactics

Deploying an often aggressive and combative tone, Mr Kavanaugh refuted the allegations made against him by Ms Ford, branding several Democratic members of the committee an “embarrassment”.

“The constitution gives the Senate an important role in the confirmation process. But you have replaced advice and consent with search and destroy,” he told the hearing.

“Since my nomination in July, there has been a frenzy on the left to come up with something, anything, to block my confirmation,” he added.

Describing his confirmation process as a “national disgrace”, Mr Kavanaugh said the allegations against him were the latest in a line of “last-minute smears” to prevent his appointment.

Kavanaugh refuses to welcome FBI investigation into allegations

In a tense exchange with Democrat senator Dick Durbin, Mr Kavanaugh refused to say he would welcome an independent FBI investigation into claims of sexual assault by Ms Ford.

The minority whip argued such a probe would exonerate the nominee and put an end to the matter if there was no truth to allegations made against him.

Mr Kavanaugh repeated the assertion he was innocent and said he would do “whatever the committee wants”.

But, he sat silent when Senator Durbin pushed for an answer as to whether he personally believed an investigation into the allegations was the best course of action.

Trump reasserts backing for Kavanaugh and calls on Senate to vote

While it had been suggested he may choose to abandon the embattled nominee in the wake of Ms Ford's compelling testimony, Donald Trump tweeted his support for the man he has nominated to take the Supreme Court seat left vacant by the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Repeating the “search and destroy” accusation levelled at Democratic senators by Mr Kavanaugh, the president said the hearings had been an effort to “delay, obstruct and resist” the appointment.

Mr Trump called for senators to hurry along a vote on the judge's confirmation despite the allegations levelled against him.

“Judge Kavanaugh showed America exactly why I nominated him,” he wrote. “His testimony was powerful, honest, and riveting.”

“Democrats’ search and destroy strategy is disgraceful and this process has been a total sham and effort to delay, obstruct, and resist. The Senate must vote!”