By Susan Ferrechio, Washington Examiner

U.S. Senate Republicans are attempting to set up a way to interview a woman from Colorado who has made new accusations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

And Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, said Monday that accusations from Deborah Ramirez of Boulder could be aired at a public hearing.

But Republicans also said the new claims won’t stop the Senate Judiciary Committee from proceeding with a planned hearing Thursday to air an earlier, decades-old attempted sexual assault allegation against Kavanaugh from Christine Blasey Ford and to vote on the nominee as early as Friday.

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Senate GOP and Democratic committee lawyers are in contact with a lawyer for Ramirez, a Yale classmate who says Kavanaugh flashed his penis at her while they attended an alcohol soaked party as freshman.

Staff lawyers are seeking to interview Ramirez and present to the committee their findings. Committee members would then decide how to handle the accusation.

“Then a discussion ensues as to what sort of process is appropriate,” Cornyn, a member of the committee, told the Washington Examiner. “Whether it’s a public hearing or not.”

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The New Yorker magazine first reported Ramirez’s accusation on Sunday. It said the 53-year-old Deborah Ramirez described the incident in an interview after being contacted by the magazine. Ramirez recalled that Kavanaugh exposed himself at a drunken dormitory party, thrust his penis in her face, and caused her to touch it without her consent as she pushed him away, the magazine reported.

Earlier Monday, Colorado’s two senators weighed in on Ramirez’s accusations. Democrat Michael Bennet said that the confirmation process for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh should be paused until the FBI has investigated allegations of sexual misconduct from Ford and Ramirez. And Republican Cory Gardner said that he “absolutely supports” a Senate committee’s investigation into Ramirez’s allegations.

Cornyn, like other Republicans, pointed to gaps in the Ramirez story, saying that “she’s not even sure she got the right guy.”

Cornyn added, “I’m not sure whether that warrants a public hearing or not.”

Kavanaugh has denied that the incidents described by Ford and Ramirez ever happened, and said Monday he would not withdraw his nomination.

> RELATED: Trump fires back against Colo. woman’s accusation against Kavanaugh

Meanwhile, the GOP indicated it will likely dodge the imagery of the Judiciary Committee’s all-male panel of Republicans interviewing accuser Ford at Thursday’s hearing. They are likely to use an outside lawyer or a staff lawyer to question her about allegations he forced her onto a bed, covered her mouth, and attempted to sexually assault her at a high school party 36 years ago, Cornyn told reporters.

“We are leaning toward having a staff lawyer, an outside lawyer, do it from our side for continuity,” Cornyn said, “rather than have 11 people ask questions for five minutes each.”

He added, “I don’t know what the Democrats will decide to do.” Of the 10 Democrats on the committee, four are women.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., earlier Monday said Kavanaugh will get a Senate floor vote in the near future, suggesting he’ll override a negative Judiciary Committee vote.

Committee member Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., is undecided on his vote, leaving open the possibility the panel will end in a 10-10 tie vote.

The Judiciary panel huddled for a couple of hours Monday afternoon in McConnell’s leadership office near the Senate chamber.Advertisement

Few lawmakers would say what details were hashed out.

“We are moving on with the hearing,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a panel member, said as he left McConnell’s office.

Ernest Luning of Colorado Politics and the Associated Press contributed.