Updated at 3:40 p.m.: Revised to include context throughout.

WASHINGTON — Former President George W. Bush is standing by his former employee and Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh amid an allegation of sexual misconduct, Politico reported Tuesday.

"Laura and I have known and respected Brett Kavanaugh for decades, and we stand by our comments the night Judge Kavanaugh was nominated," Bush said in a statement to Politico.

Bush previously said Kavanaugh "is a fine husband, father, and friend — and a man of the highest integrity. He will make a superb Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States."

Over the weekend, Palo Alto University professor Christine Blasey Ford revealed through TheWashington Post that it was she who wrote an anonymous letter saying Kavanaugh attempted to sexually assault her when both were in high school more than 30 years ago.

Kavanaugh has denied the allegation and is scheduled to testify publicly about it on Monday. Ford has said she is willing to testify but has not said whether she will participate in Monday's hearing.

Pressure on Senate Republicans to delay Kavanaugh's confirmation process intensified after Ford came forward Sunday. Sen. Dianne Feinstein had the letter, which requested confidentiality, for weeks before she turned it over to the FBI and fellow Senate Democrats.

Ford's attorney, Debra Katz, told The New York Times on Sunday that Feinstein "did well by [Ford], and we do think that people took this decision away from her, and that's wrong."

Kavanaugh worked in the Bush White House for five years as an associate counsel and then staff secretary. As staff secretary, he was responsible for controlling the paper flow to Bush's desk.

Documents from Kavanaugh's time in the Bush White House were a lightning rod for Democrats during public confirmation hearings in early September. The White House declined to allow more than 100,000 documents from Kavanaugh's tenure to be released because the administration considers them protected under presidential privilege. However, Trump did not officially invoke executive privilege.

Democrats further criticized the process of document releases because Bush's attorney Bill Burck, who previously worked under Kavanaugh in the White House, was responsible for reviewing documents for release from Bush's presidential library.

President Donald Trump called Bush to notify him of Kavanaugh's nomination to the country's highest court.

"They spoke, and President Bush appreciated the call and congratulated him on the outstanding choice," Bush's chief of staff, Freddy Ford, told CNN.

Trump has also supported Kavanaugh since the accusation, though he said he wanted the allegation to be aired.

“If it takes a little delay, it'll take a little delay,” Trump said. “I’m sure it will work out very well.”