During four days last September, access lanes to the George Washington Bridge, the busiest span in the United States, were abruptly shut down by Christie allies, apparently to punish a Democratic mayor who declined to endorse the governor's re-election bid.
The lane closures, which transit authorities first tried to justify as part of a traffic study, caused massive delays for commuters, school buses and emergency vehicles in the borough of Fort Lee, New Jersey, and across the bridge in New York City.
Christie adamantly denied any knowledge of the scheme, and the prominent Republican has sought to distance himself from the scandal as he considers a possible run for the presidency.
