REP. DARRELL ISSA, R-CALIF.: Our goal in this investigation is to get answers because their families deserve answers.
GREGORY HICKS, FORMER DEPUTY CHIEF OF MISSION IN LIBYA: I'm a career public servant. Until the aftermath of Benghazi, I loved every day of my job.
REP. NORTON, D-D.C.: Do you believe you were kept out for political reasons?
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I do not politicize my job, madam.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Was there any awareness that the events occur because of a YouTube video?
HICKS: The YouTube video was a nonevent in Libya.
The only report that our mission made through every channel was that there had been an attack on a consulate.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Not a protest?
HICKS: No protest.
REP. JASON CHAFFETZ, R-UTAH: There was never an attempt to actually get these military aircraft over there.
REP. TREY GOWDY, R-S.C.: Fast forward, Mr. Hicks, to the Sunday talk shows and Ambassador Susan Rice, she blamed this attack on a video, in fact she did it five different times. What was your reaction to that?
HICKS: I was stunned. My jaw dropped. And I was embarrassed.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Did she talk to you before she went on the five Sunday talk shows.
HICKS: No, sir.
GOWDY: You were the highest-ranking official in Libya at the time, correct?
HICKS: Yes, sir?
GOWDY: And she did not bother to have a conversation with you before she went on national television?
HICKS: No, sir.
GOWDY: When Ambassador Stevens talked to you perhaps minutes before he died, as a dying declaration, what precisely did he say to you?
HICKS: He said, Greg, we're under attack.
GOWDY: Did he mention one word about a protest or a demonstration?
HICKS: No sir, he did not.
At about 3: 0 a.m. I received a call from the prime minister of Libya. I think it's the saddest phone call I've ever had in my life. He told me that Ambassador Stevens had passed away.
