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Christie 'Heartbroken,' 'Embarrassed' by Bridge Scandal

Christie 'Heartbroken,' 'Embarrassed' by Bridge Scandal

VOA News
9 January 2014 (6:58PM)

George Washington Bridge, New York

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a possible Republican contender for president in 2016, says he is "embarrassed" and "heartbroken" by staffers who purposely created a huge traffic jam in September.

The aides ordered lanes on the George Washington Bridge between New York City and New Jersey shut down to punish a Democratic mayor who did not support Christie's reelection.

The governor said at Thursday news conference that he had nothing to do with creating the traffic jam, and is stunned by its stupidity.

He said he is ultimately responsible for what happened. Christie fired his deputy chief of staff who he says lied to him about her part in the scandal, and he asked another aide to resign.

Christie also made a visit to personally apologize to the mayor of Fort Lee, New Jersey, whose town saw the worst of the traffic mess.

The September traffic jam forced hundreds of cars, trucks and buses heading into Fort Lee to squeeze into a single lane by shutting down three lanes of traffic on the bridge. It lasted four days.

Local media report that the traffic nightmare made children late for school, caused commuters to miss important appointments, and brought ambulances to crawl.