Brett Kavanaugh: Second woman alleges sexual misconduct by Trump's Supreme Court nominee

Deborah Ramirez, 53, alleges incident took place while both were Yale students - Mr Kavanaugh denies the accusation, calling it a 'smear'

A second woman has come forward with an allegation of sexual misconduct against Brett Kavanaugh - Donald Trump‘s nominee to be placed on the Supreme Court.

Senate Democrats are said to be investigating the allegation dating to the 1983-84 academic year, Mr Kavanaugh’s first at Yale University.

Deborah Ramirez, 53 – who attended Yale with Mr Kavanaugh - told The New Yorker that Mr Kavanaugh exposed himself to her during a party.

“I was embarrassed and ashamed and humiliated,” Ms Ramirez said.

In a statement issued through the White House, Mr Kavanaugh claimed that the incident “did not happen” and that it was a “smear”.

“This alleged event from 35 years ago did not happen. The people who knew me then know that this did not happen, and have said so. This is a smear, plain and simple,” Mr Kavanaugh said.

In the wake of the new allegation, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee is seeking “immediate postponement” of any further action on Mr Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court.

Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein of California sent a letter late on Sunday to the Republican chairman of the committee, Chuck Grassley, also asking for the FBI to look into Ms Ramirez's allegation and an earlier one from Christine Blasey Ford alleging that Mr Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were both in high school. Mr Kavanaugh denies both allegations.

The White House has baked Mr Kavanaugh over Ms Ford's allegation and done the same over the latest accusation. “This 35-year-old, uncorroborated claim is the latest in a coordinated smear campaign by the Democrats designed to tear down a good man,” said spokesperson Kerri Kupec. “This claim is denied by all who were said to be present and is wholly inconsistent with what many women and men who knew Judge Kavanaugh at the time in college say. The White House stands firmly behind Judge Kavanaugh.”

According to The New Yorker, the offices of at least four Senate Democrats have received information about the latest allegation, with two said to have started looking into it.

“This is another serious, credible, and disturbing allegation against Brett Kavanagh. It should be fully investigated,” Senator Mazie Hirono, a Democrat from Hawaii, said of Ms Ramirez's accusation, according to the magazine.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is preparing to hear testimony from Ms Ford, having negotiated for days over an appearance in front of its members.

It was eventually agreed on Sunday that both Ms Ford - who has received death threats since her identity became public - and Mr Kavanaugh would both appear on Thursday.

Democrats have accused Republicans of seeking to “bully” Ms Ford about giving testimony.

Lawyers for Ms Ford made several requests, some of which were accommodated — including a smaller hearing room with less press access, that Ms Ford would testify without Mr Kavanaugh in the room, for there to be only one camera in the room, “adequate” breaks and a high security presence.

However, the committee said it would not negotiate on other points, including Ms Ford’s desire for additional witnesses and a request to testify after, not before, Mr Kavanaugh.

Ms Ford’s lawyers said it was still unclear who will ask questions, as Republicans were trying to hire an outside female counsel who could take over the questioning. The 11 Republican senators on the committee are all men, which could send an unwanted message on live television. Democratic senators were expected to ask their own questions.

“We were told no decision has been made on this important issue, even though various senators have been dismissive of her account and should have to shoulder their responsibility to ask her questions,” the attorneys for Ms Ford said in a statement.

Earlier on Sunday, Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said lawyers for Ms Ford were contesting two conditions — that she and Mr Kavanaugh would be the only witnesses and that an independent counsel would ask the questions.

“If they continue to contest those two things, there won’t be a hearing,” Mr Graham said. “We’re not going to let her determine how many people we call” and on outside counsel. “I hope she comes.”