NJ Mayor Asks Governor To Hold Off Apology Until Traffic Scandal Investigation Over

"We're grateful to the governor for the offer. He certainly wouldn't be shunned, but if Fort Lee has built up enough capital to be granted one request, we would ask that this visit come once this investigation is either over or all of the material facts have surfaced," saidFort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich told the media."Based on experience, it would appear that there is still some untold chapters here and we wouldn't want him to expend gas unnecessarily," he added.

Earlier in the day Christie fired a top aide who helped orchestrate massive traffic jams at a busy commuter bridge to settle a score, saying he had been blind-sided in the scandal that has tarnished his political reputation on the national stage.

"I'm grateful he would hold a press conference this quickly. I'm grateful he would take such decisive action this quickly. I don't think there was any other alternative but I think he made the right decision at least from that perspective," said Sokolich about the governor's action.

As Christie apologized publicly for the abrupt lane closings ordered by some of his staff, which he said he did not know about beforehand, the office of the U.S. Attorney in New Jersey said it was launching an investigation.

Revelations that his staff plotted the four-day lane closures at the George Washington Bridge in September, causing hours-long traffic jams that stalled commuters, school buses and ambulances, come as Christie has emerged as a powerful figure in theRepublican Party and a possible presidential contender.

The controversy erupted with the release on Wednesday of incriminating emails showing Christie's aide and allies planning the lane closings to punish Sokolich, the Democratic mayor of Fort Lee, at the New Jersey end of the bridge, because he had declined to endorse Christie's re-election effort.

"There's a definite distinction there because there's one thing about believing someone and there's another think about what the folks that work for him do. You can't have complete control over that, though it would appear that the great latitude that the governor indicated he provides to the folks that are in his inner circle, well apparently, they've taken that to a level that they shouldn't have taken it to -- to venomous, petty political politics," said Sokolich.

Christie said he dismissed his deputy chief of staff, Bridget Anne Kelly, whose role emerged in the emails.

In the most damning email, Kelly wrote to a Port Authority executive in August, saying: "Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee."

The executive, David Wildstein, replied: "Got it."

Wildstein later admitted ordering the lane closures and resigned his post.

The emails were supplied to the media by Wildstein in response to a subpoena issued by a panel of state lawmakers.

He appeared before the panel on Thursday but declined to answer questions, repeatedly invoking the constitutional protection not to say anything that might incriminate him.

U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman, whose job Christie held before being elected governor, has opened a probe, his spokeswoman said.

"Our office is reviewing it to determine whether a federal law was implicated," Rebekah Carmichael said in a statement.

A local newspaper reported emergency responders were delayed in attending to four medical situations - one involving an unconscious 91-year-old woman who later died of cardiac arrest and another, a car accident, in which four people were injured.

Christie has enjoyed immense popularity at home since his election in 2009, particularly for his handling of recovery and rebuilding efforts after Superstorm Sandy devastated his state in late 2012. He was re-elected in a landslide in November.