THE woman who accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her wants the FBI to investigate the claims before she testifies at a Senate hearing next week.

Christine Blasey Ford’s lawyers wrote to the Senate Judiciary Committee saying an FBI investigation “should be the first step in addressing the allegations”

In the days since Ford publicly accused Kavanaugh of the assault when they were teens at a party, her family has relocated and she has been the target of “vicious harassment and even death threats”, the lawyers said.

The development comes as President Donald Trump showered sympathy on his Supreme Court nominee – the first conservative justice likely to serve on the high court for decades – and as Senate members fought determinedly over who should testify at a high-stakes hearing on the allegation weeks before major congressional elections that will decide control of both the House and Senate.

Democrats have said they wanted more time for the FBI to investigate – and more witnesses besides Kavanaugh and Ford, hoping to avoid what would turn into merely a “he-said-she-said” moment.

Those witnesses would include Kavanaugh’s high school friend Mark Judge, who Ford said was in the room when she was assaulted, but Judge said no.

Kavanaugh has denied Ford’s allegation, and Judge says he does not remember any such incident.