VAN SUSTEREN: All right, just a short time after 9/11, you made a trip to Libya. And you had a number of conversations. And you spoke to even the deputy chief of mission in Tripoli. Did he tell you anything that he knew that night about what had happened that night?
CHAFFETZ: You know, he related this story which I haven't shared before. He's a good man. His name's Gregory Hicks. And I — I think he's trying to do the right thing.
He said that shortly after 9:40 PM, what happened is his phone rang. And he didn't recognize the number, so he didn't answer it. Then it rang again. Again, he didn't answer it because he didn't recognize the number.
But then, given the persistence, he did answer it. It was Ambassador Stevens. And Ambassador Stevens was saying, We're under attack. We're under attack.
Now, I can't say that he told me specifically that he was asking for help, but that's kind of what I — I read into it. He hung up the phone. He immediately called in to Washington, D.C., to trigger all the mechanisms that needed to be put on, and then he wasn't able to contact them. And there were hours and hours where we didn't know where our ambassador was.
But the trauma, the — the real-life trauma that he went through — I mean, I really felt it in his voice. It was — it was hard to listen to. He's — he's gone through a lot, but he did a great job.
Thanks! It helps to recollect. We have so MANY concurrent scandals.
Details for the hearing
Benghazi: Exposing Failure and Recognizing Courage
Wed, May 8, 2013
11:30 a.m. in 2154 Rayburn House Office Building
I remember Chaffetz being nears tears relaying some of the info in the first hearing...then his face got red and you could see the anger rising up inside him. I hope he gives them hell next week!!