Recently seized documents show that as payback for Fort Lee mayor - and Democrat - Mark Sokolich not supporting Chris Christie's re-election campaign, vengeful staffers in the New Jersey governor's office closed two of the three lanes that shuttle commuters across the George Washington Bridge.
The rush hour closures on the world's busiest bridge created a traffic nightmare, with emergency personnel affected as well as the average worker trying to make it to his midtown Manhattan office on time.
"It was utter chaos those days. People were pouring into the store, complaining," says Debbie Minuto, owner of Fort Lee 's Binghamton Bagel Café. The lane closures also wreaked havoc on local businesses like hers. "The bridge is a lifeline here. You take away the bridge, you take away our livelihood."
Christie, the shining star of the Republican Party's dwindling moderate wing, claims he had no idea that his staff was engaged in such volatile political subterfuge. For the opinionated White House hopeful, the timing couldn't be worse - he was set to launch a presidential campaign this week.
Christie had finally started to win people over to the idea that he can work both sides of the aisle, but this may confirm their worst fears that he's really just a big bully at heart. As Charles Blow of The New York Times puts it, "The larger-than-life, straight-from-the-hip, quick-with-the-tongue paladin of the Palisades, Chris Christie, is beginning to emerge as small, petty and vindictive."
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