Professor Ford was close to tears when she described how he allegedly climbed on top of her during a house party when they were teenagers. After the tally, the nomination will move to a procedural vote in the full Senate on Saturday, although it's unclear if the judge has the 50 votes needed to open debate on his confirmation on the chamber floor.
But by the time she finished detailing her allegation that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers, Ford was being widely praised as credible and courageous.
The three swore they had no recollection of the party - providing no support for Ford's accusations laid out to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Avenatti also represents Stephanie Clifford, the adult film actress known as Stormy Daniels who says she had an affair with Trump before he was elected President.
Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Chuck Grassley repeatedly declined to answer questions Thursday night from reporters as he repeatedly said, "we're meeting at 9:30" - a reference to the committee meeting where the panel is scheduled to vote on whether to give Kavanaugh a favorable recommendation.
Judge Brett Kavanaugh testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee during his Supreme Court confirmation hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, U.S., September 27, 2018. Her piece published on Sunday (co-written by Ronan Farrow) detailed claims of sexual assault from a second woman against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
According to NBC, the latest complaint says the assault took place whilst Judge Kavanaugh was drunk.
"We're still talking", said Senator Joe Manchin, a Democrat from West Virginia, who hasn't said how he'll vote.
Republicans have a 51-49 majority in the Senate.
Republicans had hoped to shift the Supreme Court further to the right and lock in for decades a more conservative approach to issues such as abortion, regulation and the environment.
Holton-Arms administrators did not respond to a request for comment about the testimonies by Kavanaugh or Ford.
Democrats said Kavanaugh's confirmation could taint the Supreme Court, which prides itself on staying above the political fray.
Joe Donnelly, a moderate Democrat who a year ago voted for Trump's previous Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, announced he would vote against Kavanaugh.
The announcement to keep the current schedule comes fewer than two hours after the Senate Judiciary Committee wrapped its day-long, blockbuster hearing of Kavanaugh and Christine Blasey Ford, a woman who accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault.
Trump's son, Donald Jr., also tweeted his review: "I love Kavanaugh's tone".
Repeatedly Democrats asked Kavanaugh to call for an FBI investigation into the claims. "I'm going to be watching, you know, believe it or not".
It was Ford's telling the committee she now has two front doors at her home - a decision she said she made because of the lasting trauma of the alleged assault - that convinced Kathleen Pierman, 66, who watched the testimony at home.
Democrats heaped praise on Ford and pointed to gaps in her memory as evidence that she has been truthful, with Illinois Senator Dick Durbin noting that a "polished liar" can create a "seamless story" while a survivor "cannot be expected" to remember every detail.
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