Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand Kirsten GillibrandSunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election Suburban moms are going to decide the 2020 election Jon Stewart urges Congress to help veterans exposed to burn pits MORE (D-N.Y.) says that Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, the professor who came forward with a sexual assault accusation against Brett Kavanaugh, should not be "bullied" into testifying Monday in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee without an FBI investigation being performed.

In an interview with CNN, the Democratic senator says that committee members are bullying Ford by calling for her testimony without the support of corroborating witnesses or an FBI investigation into the credibility of her claim.

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"I don't think she should be bullied into this scenario, where it's a 'he-said, she-said' when many of the committee members have already made up their minds," Gillibrand said Wednesday, when asked if she hopes Ford appears for a scheduled special session of the committee on Monday.

“Without the benefit of an FBI investigation … and without the benefit of corroborating witnesses being able to testify, it’s a sham hearing," Gillibrand continues, "and I don’t think she should participate."

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand says she stands with Christine Blasey Ford, Kavanaugh’s accuser: “Without the benefit of an FBI investigation … and without the benefit of corroborating witnesses being able to testify, it’s a sham hearing, and I don’t think she should participate” pic.twitter.com/GIFPpRV6PR — CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) September 19, 2018

"Not only should she be given the opportunity to testify, which she has asked for," Gillibrand added, "she's asked for an investigation, which is the minimum that should be afforded to her, and she will want corroborating witnesses to testify too."

Blasey Ford wrote in a letter to the committee's chairman, Sen. Chuck Grassley Charles (Chuck) Ernest GrassleyThe Hill's 12:30 Report: Ginsburg lies in repose Top GOP senators say Hunter Biden's work 'cast a shadow' over Obama Ukraine policy Read: Senate GOP's controversial Biden report MORE (R-Iowa), that an FBI investigation would be a necessary first step before her public testimony.

Grassley, however, has offered her the opportunity to testify privately out of the view of cameras, and Republicans have called for the hearing to move forward on Monday as planned.

“She has the option of a closed session, with cameras or without,” said Sen. Jeff Flake Jeffrey (Jeff) Lane FlakeHow fast population growth made Arizona a swing state Jeff Flake: Republicans 'should hold the same position' on SCOTUS vacancy as 2016 Republican former Michigan governor says he's voting for Biden MORE (R-Ariz.), a member of the panel. “We want her to appear and she has said before we made the decision that she wanted to appear.”

Democrats, including the panel's ranking member, Sen. Dianne Feinstein Dianne Emiel FeinsteinFeinstein 'surprised and taken aback' by suggestion she's not up for Supreme Court fight Democrats shoot down talk of expanding Supreme Court Biden leads Trump by 12 points among Catholic voters: poll MORE (D-Calif.), have called for Ford's accusation to be heard before Kavanaugh's nomination moves to the full Senate for a vote, and have called plans for a hearing Monday "rushed."

“The decision to come forward or not come forward has always been Christine Blasey Ford’s, and that includes her participation in a hearing," Feinstein said in a statement, which condemned "the rushed process to hold a hearing on Monday."