U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley is leaving the possibility that the Senate Judiciary Committee may not vote Friday on the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. 

Grassley, an Iowa Republican who chairs the judiciary panel, was asked Wednesday during a weekly teleconference call with Iowa reporters whether he was considering pulling the plug on Kavanaugh's nomination in the wake of continued accusations of sexual assault. 

"Well you are asking me to speculate.  But here is where we are: You take this one step at a time," Grassley said.  He promised to provide Christine Blasey Ford, an accuser of Kavanaugh, as well as the nominee, a "fair and respectful venue" at a committee meeting on Thursday.  He added he will make no decisions until the meeting is concluded. 

More:Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh: How to watch the Senate hearing

The senator also said he had to provide a three-day notice for a committee vote on Kavanaugh and people have been asking him if the vote will take place Friday. 

"It could take place Friday, or it could not.  That kind of depends upon what happens tommorrow," Grassley said. 

More:Brett Kavanaugh sexual misconduct allegations: What we know now

Grassley was also asked about additional reports of alleged misconduct by Kavanaugh as a young man and whether Senate Republicans have any fears that they are proceeding too fast, which could lead to impeachment proceedings down the road if he is confirmed as a Supreme Court justice. 

Grassley responded that he is focused on Ford's testimony scheduled for Thursday and how Kavanaugh responds. 

More:Here's what Brett Kavanaugh plans to tell the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday

"But you are asking me to look ahead, maybe 10 or 20 years," Grassley said. 

He added that similar questions were raised when Justice Clarence Thomas faced accusations of sexual harassment before he was confirmed to the Supreme Court in 1991.  But nothing has surfaced since against Thomas, the senator said. 

"So from this standpoint then, I just say that I would expect the same thing to happen with Kavanaugh if he gets on the Supreme Court," Grassley said. 

Thomas was accused during testimony by attorney Anita Hill of repeatedly engaging in sexual harassment that included unsolicited sexual advances while they worked in federal agencies, despite her pleas for him to stop.  Thomas and his supporters denied the allegations, suggesting they were aimed at preventing a black conservative from serving on the high court.