A former top official at the U.S. Embassy in Libya gave lawmakers a riveting moment-by-moment review of the attacks in Benghazi that killed four Americans, as he sternly disputed the idea that an anti-Muslim video on the internet had been the cause for the violence.
"The You Tube event was a non-event in Libya," said Gregory Hicks, the former Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy.
"We saw no demonstrations related to the video in Libya," Hicks added at a House hearing, saying that his "jaw dropped" when he heard that video blamed by the Obama Administration.
Hicks said he immediately registered his frustration with the Sunday show explanation by U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, but that his argument was not well received by higher-ups.
"It was very clear from the tone that I should not proceed with (that argument)," Hicks said.
As Hicks gave a lengthy hour-by-hour description of the night of the Benghazi attacks, he told lamwkaers that he had spoken with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, briefing her around 2 am local time in Libya.
While Hicks was given high praise by senior State Department officials - and in a phone call by President Obama - Hicks said that changed in the weeks ahead as he found himself at odds with superiors on the issue of whether the You Tube video caused the violence in Benghazi.
At one point, Hicks said he was directly told by a State Department official not to meet with Republican lawmakers who visited Libya to investigate the attack.
"Have you ever had anyone tell you, don't talk with the people coming from Congress to find out what took place?" asked Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH).
"Never," Hicks said.
One previously unknown item was put in the record by Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC), who read an email from Beth Jones, a top State Department official, who said the day after the attack that the video wasn't the cause of the violence.
"The group that conducted the attacks, Ansar al-Sharia, is affiliated with Islamic terrorists," Gowdy quoted the Jones email.
At the hearing, Hicks and two other witnesses worked their way through a number of details from the night of the attacks, answering questions about security matters at the Benghazi consulate and why U.S. military forces did not fly to Benghazi that night.
"We live by a code, that code says you go after people when they're in peril," said Mark Thompson, the State Department's acting deputy assistant secretary for counterterrorism, as he expressed frustration over the lack of a U.S. military response.
While Democrats tried to downplay the hearing, Republicans said it raised a number of questions about what questions still need to be asked of top State Department officials.
"All the facts need to be known about what took place and hold people accountable," said Rep. John Mica (R-FL).
But while Republicans stayed for hours to listen to testimony, Democrats weren't swayed by the evidence.
"No new facts or revelations," tweeted Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA) from the hearing room. "Nothing to support outrageous GOP charges."
"I don't think there's a smoking gun today," said Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI). "I don't even think there's a lukewarm slingshot."
While there may not have been a smoking gun moment, Republicans made clear the hearings on the Benghazi attacks aren't going to end at this point.
"If you listen to the other side, it's time to move on," said Rep. Scott Desjarlais (R-TN) of Democrats.
But Republicans clearly aren't ready to drop the Benghazi subject any time soon.
