By Thomas McKinless

Democratic Sen. Mazie K. Hirono gave an impassioned defense of Christine Blasey Ford, a California professor who came forward Sunday with an accusation of sexual assault against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. “Not only do women, like Dr. Ford, who bravely come forward need to be heard, but they need to be believed,” Hirono said at a news conference on Tuesday. The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing Monday with testimony from both Ford and Kavanaugh. A Thursday vote by the panel on the nomination was postponed.