WASHINGTON - The nation's capital was up late Sunday reacting to news that a second woman had lodged sexual assault accusations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

The story posted in the New Yorker details a party in a Yale University dorm room in the 1980s. A woman identified as Deborah Ramirez alleges Kavanaugh exposed himself at the party and thrust his genitals in her face.

Ramirez's story is the latest hurdle for Kavanaugh's Supreme Court bid and for Republicans seeking to tilt the balance of power on the high court for conservatives. Kavanaugh was already battling accusations by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford of a somewhat similar incident that happened when he was in high school.

Democrats were quick to call for a halt to scheduled proceedings, including a Thursday hearing where Ford and Kavanaugh were expected to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

But some lawmakers asked for Kavanaugh to withdraw in light of the second round of accusations.

"The additional information provided by Ms. Ramirez regarding Kavanaugh’s behavior in college presents a pattern of conduct that makes it absolutely clear that he is entirely unsuited to serve on the Supreme Court," Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. "I call upon Brett Kavanaugh for the good of the country and the integrity of the court to step aside immediately."

Merkley wasn't alone. Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass. made a similar request.

More:Second woman accuses Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault in New Yorker report

"With another credible, corroborated allegation of sexual misconduct against Brett Kavanaugh, it’s time for him to do the right thing," he wrote on Twitter. "Withdraw your nomination, Judge Kavanaugh."

More: Ford's letter detailing the alleged assault by Brett Kavanaugh

The story in the New Yorker included a laundry list of other details, including that both Republicans and Democrats have allegedly known about the claims. Democrats are working to investigate while Republicans have tried to quickly move forward with Kavanaugh's confirmation vote, the article states.

Republican lawmakers refuted the accusation. A spokesman for Sen. Charles Grassley, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Grassley learned of the second woman's account when it was published in the New Yorker. He also accused Democrats of withholding the accusations "only to drop information at politically opportune moments."

"The committee’s majority staff learned the allegations made by Deborah Ramirez about Judge Kavanaugh from this evening’s New Yorker report," said Taylor Foy, a communications director for Grassley. "Neither she nor her legal representative have contacted the chairman’s office."

David Popp, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, said he had not talked to McConnell Sunday night but he was also unaware of the second woman's allegations before they became public.

“The Democrats did not give me a heads up on the story. Neither did (The New Yorker reporter),” Popp said.

McConnell was criticized by Ford’s supporters Friday after he vowed to a group of religious conservatives that Kavanaugh would soon be on the Supreme Court.

“We're going to plow right through it and do our job,” he said at the Value Voters Summit.

Some Republicans, such as Sen. John Cornyn, R-Tex., said they wanted evidence. He said on Twitter that "only a partisan" would take these claims as "credible without evidence."

The White House cast doubt on the story in a late-night email by pointing out what it considers holes in the article, including Ramirez telling the New Yorker about "significant gaps" in her memories from the party.

In the email titled "what you need to know about the allegations made in The New Yorker article about Judge Brett Kavanaugh," the White House noted that Ramirez took six days of "assessing her memories" and consulting with an attorney before accusing Kavanaugh.

The email also notes the New Yorker was not able to confirm the account with any eyewitnesses.

The Republican National Committee sent out a similar email late Sunday, casting doubt of the credibility of the story by pointing out possible holes in the article using Ramirez's own words.