Sen. Patty Murray: Don’t let this be our Anita Hill moment

"I came into the United States Senate because I watched the Anita Hill hearings, and I was so angry about how she was treated, and it wasn't just me. It was hundreds of thousands of other people. " —Sen. Patty Murray

"The message that came to women and men at that time was, 'You will not be believed if you come forward.'

"We are now at an age where women are saying, 'Believe me. I'm not doing it for any other reason. I'm not making this up. Believe me.' That's what the #MeToo movement is about.

"Will the United States Senate have gotten that message or not? Will we send a message again for possibly decades that if you speak up you will not be heard? You will not be believed. You will be harassed. You will be berated. I do not want that to be the message of this year."

In this interview, Patty Murray tells KUOW's Angela King that without a federal investigation, the Senate can't fully evaluate the allegations made by Christine Blasey Ford, who said Kavanaugh assaulted her when they were in high school.

Kavanaugh says the allegations are false.

King: Why the FBI?

Murray: It is extremely important that she be able to corroborate her story through other witnesses, to other folks who may have been there, and that we have the facts in front of us, which is what the FBI does. If the FBI does an investigation, they will be able to talk to any possible witnesses. She has named one already who will be under oath speaking to the FBI. Remember: It's a crime to lie to the FBI. So that would give the Senate the basis to know the facts before they ask her any questions. That's really important.

You've said that you hope Republicans will work with you.

I think it's really important that they do. I think all of them should take a breath and realize that history is looking at them to determine whether or not a woman who has been abused, sexually assaulted, has the ability to speak up and be believed or not.

Do you think bipartisanship is going to work in this political climate that we're dealing with?

I am praying. I am hoping I am begging for it to work this time and here's why. I came into the United States Senate because I watched the Anita Hill hearings and I was so angry about how she was treated and it wasn't just me. It was really hundreds of thousands of other people. And what the message was that came to women and men at that time was you will not be believed if you come forward. We are now at an age where women are saying, 'believe me.' I'm not doing it for any other reason. I'm not making this up. Believe me. That's what the #MeToo movement is about.

Will the United States Senate have gotten that message or not? Will we send a message again for possibly decades that if you speak up you will not be heard? You will not be believed. You will be harassed. You will be berated. I do not want that to be the message of this year.

This case happened in Maryland. Do you think there should be a criminal investigation there?

I don't think we know that right now because we do not have an FBI investigation to look at the facts of this, and what we do have immediately in front of us is whether or not a nominee has the character and the values that we want to have on the highest court in the land with a lifetime appointment. That's the critical question in front of us and that's what we should focus on today.