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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo encouraged the Senate to delay a vote on the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. He cited the sexual assault allegations against the Supreme Court nominee as the main reason for postponement.

Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, a clinical psychology professor at Palo Alto University in California, accused Kavanaugh of physically and sexually assaulting her years ago. She first made the allegations through a letter sent to Senator Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Feinstein referred the information to the FBI. Ford requested confidentiality in her letter. However, she then went public with her allegations against the Supreme Court nominee. Her action comes days before the committee was set to decide whether to recommend Kavanaugh for confirmation to the full Senate.

In an interview with the Washington Post, she alleged that Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed during a house party in Maryland in the 1980s. He tried to remove her clothes and placed his hand over her mouth to prevent her from screaming. They were both teenagers when the incident happened.

“I thought he might inadvertently kill me," Ford said. "He was trying to attack me and remove my clothing."

Cuomo: Investigation into the Allegations against Kavanaugh is Necessary

In a statement on Monday, Cuomo said the sexual assault allegations against the Supreme Court nominee are “disturbing and deeply concerning.” He stressed that the Senate is considering Kavanaugh “for a lifelong appointment to the highest court of the land.”

“We owe it to Dr. Ford and to the American people to fully investigate these allegations —our democracy demands nothing less,” Cuomo added.

Furthermore, Cuomo said Americans deserve to know the truth and “Senate Republicans must not rush through the nomination process.”

“This is not just about a Supreme Court appointment; it’s about justice in the deepest sense …. I call on the Senate to postpone any vote until the allegations against Judge Kavanaugh are fully investigated,” Cuomo said.

Earlier this month, he accused Senate Republicans of “secretive tactics” throughout the confirmation process. He suggested that they are “willing to put their party above [the] country at all costs.”

Cuomo strongly opposes Kavanaugh to replace retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy. The governor is worried that the Supreme Court nominee will overturn Roe V. Wade and dismantle the Affordable Care Act. He is also concerned that Kavanaugh will nullify New York’s gun safety measures and other laws if the Senate confirms his appointment.