The hearing is expected to draw large numbers of viewers as Ford testifies about the incident that allegedly happened in 1982. According to Ford, Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed, groped her and tried to take her clothes off during a party at a home in Maryland. Kavanaugh has denied the charges.
In an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll, 58 percent of those surveyed said they will be following the hearing closely or very closely, yet, a plurality has not yet made up their minds if it's Ford or Kavanaugh who is telling the truth. Thirty-two percent believe Ford's story, about 26 percent believe Kavanaugh and 42 percent say they are unsure who to believe.
>>Who is Christine Blasey Ford, Brett Kavanaugh's accuser?
What will happen in the hearing? Here’s a look at what to expect.
What time is the hearing?
The hearing begins at 10 a.m. EDT
Where is it being held?
The hearing is set for a room in the Dirksen Senate office building in Washington D.C.
How will the questioning go?
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, will make an opening statement with no time limit. Then, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, the ranking member of the committee, will also give an opening statement with no time limit.
Ford will testify first. Each senator will have five minutes to question Ford and five minutes to question Kavanaugh once Ford finishes testifying. Senators will have one round of questions for Ford and one round for Kavanaugh. The Republicans on the committee have asked Arizona prosecutor Rachel Mitchell to question Ford and Kavanaugh. Democratic senators have said they will ask their own questions.
How many senators are on the Senate Judiciary Committee and who are they?
There are 21 senators on the committee, 10 Democrats and 11 Republicans. The members of the committee are:
Republicans:
Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) - chairman
Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah)
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina)
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas)
Sen. Michael S. Lee (R-Utah)
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)
Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Nebraska)
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Arizona)
Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho)
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina)
Sen. John Kennedy (R-Louisiana)
Democrats:
Ranking Member Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California) – ranking member
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont)
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois)
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island)
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota)
Sen. Christopher A. Coons (D-Delaware)
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut)
Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii)
Sen. Cory Booker (D-New Jersey)
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-California)
Where can you watch it?
The hearing is being broadcast live on network and cable news channels. C-Span will air the hearing live on the C-Span 3 channel and will include coverage on its C-Span Radio platform.
Are the hearings livestreamed?
Yes. You can watch the hearing on the Judiciary Committee website here.
What about the other accusers? Will they be there? Will there be any other witnesses?
No. Only Ford and Kavanaugh will testify.
Related stories:
>>SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh's 1982 calendar pages sent to Senate committee
>>Who is Rachel Mitchell, the woman who will be questioning Ford, Kavanaugh
>>Brett Kavanaugh nomination: Trump accuses Democrats of playing 'con game'
>>Second Kavanaugh accuser: Who is Deborah Ramirez?
>>Julie Swetnick steps forward as third accuser; Brett Kavanaugh denies accusations
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