Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell walks to his office after speaking on the Senate Floor in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Sept. 25, 2018.On the Senate floor Monday, McConnell called allegations "a Democratic smear job."
"This is what the so-called resistance has become. A smear campaign, pure and simple. Aided and abetted by members of the United States Senate," McConnell said.
On Tuesday, Schumer called McConnell's remarks "shameful."
"Leader McConnell owes an apology to Dr. Ford for labeling her allegations a “smear job.” Let me repeat that, Leader McConnell owes an apology to Dr. Ford for labeling her allegations a “smear job.” And he should apologize to her immediately," Schumer said on the Senate floor.
"It is galling, galling for the Republican leader, who has done more than maybe anyone to politicize the Supreme Court nomination process, to make these trumped up, hyperbolic charges of partisanship by Democrats," Schumer continued. "It is a sad habit of Republicans to accuse the other side of doing what they, in fact, are doing."
A key Republican vote on Kavanaugh, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, said she would be interested in hearing from Deborah Ramirez, the second woman to accuse Kavanaugh.
"If she has serious allegations that she is willing to come forward on and request the opportunity to be heard as Dr. Ford did, I think that there is a process for all of that, a process before the committee. I don't want to see further delay," Murkowski told reporters Tuesday.
“It's very important to take allegations of those who have come forward, to take them seriously and I think we need to go into this hearing with the view that we will listen to Dr. Ford's story," Murkowski said. "We will listen to Judge Kavanaugh's response and then we will weigh what we have heard."
When asked if she agrees with McConnell that this is a “smear campaign,” Murkowski declined to comment directly.
Instead, in a carefully worded response, she said. “I think it is important that we have a process that is viewed as credible and respected.”
Tennessee Republican Sen. Bob Corker, another key vote if Republicans hope to get Kavanaugh confirmed, was skeptical.
"I read the New Yorker article, its pretty thin. No one else remembered any of it. This is really kinda getting carried away. It's feeling more like a circus," Corker said.
Corker was more positive about GOP plans to have an outside counsel ask questions of Ford and Kavanaugh when they both appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday.
"I think it's really smart of them to get outside counsel. Somebody will do something that you guys will run 24/7. Inadvertently, somebody will do something that's insensitive. I would not be wanting to ask questions about something like this. I'm glad they're going to get outside counsel," Corker said.
On Tuesday, the committee said it had hired a former sex crimes prosecutor - a woman - to conduct the Republican questioning of Ford.
Chairman Charles Grassley said he would not release her name for the time being in order to ensure her safety.
Later, McConnell and other Republican leaders appeared more than ever to have their minds made up-- in Kavanaugh's favor.
"We're going to be moving forward. I'm confident we're going to win. I'm confident he will be confirmed in the very near future," McConnell said.
Other Republican leaders talked about Ford's allegations with more skepticism than previously.
"In this case, there's no way the accused can disprove the allegation because he wasn't there, he said. It didn't happen, he said," Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said.
Just before, Cornyn said, "As the father of two adult daughters, as I'm approaching this hearing I want to make sure I treat Dr. Ford the same way my daughters would be treated in the event they were making an accusation. Or my mother. Or my wife."
"Certainly difficult to investigate a claim where there's no location, no date, and no witnesses," added Sen. Roy Blunt, a Missouri Republican.
Kaynak:Abcnews