GWB Scandal Hits Too Close to Home for Fort Lee Community

The George Washington Bridge lane closures fallout that has fueled nationwide punchlines and political gossip over the past week was no laughing matter for the 35,000 residents living in the small borough at the center of the controversy who experienced the three days of September gridlock.

Fort Lee residents are still angry and frustrated, but not sure who's to blame, according to NJ.com. Some believe Gov. Chris Christie was aware of the alleged political retaliation aimed at Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, the article said. Others feel those around the governor may have acted on their own, the article said.

State officials released on Friday thousands of pages of documents subpoenaed from the Port Authority in the wake of a continuing investigation into whether staffers and appointees of Christie orchestrated the September traffic nightmare.

The emails expose infighting between New York and New Jersey agency leadership, and a months-long attempt to stonewall media inquiries into the lane closures.

What the communications do not contain is a "smoking gun" that shows anyone directly ordering the lanes be closed as political dirty play.

Christie on Thursday fired Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Anne Kelly and apologized for the chaos the lane closures caused.

Christie then visited Fort Lee later in the day and had a closed-door meeting with Sokolich, who said he took the governor "for his word" and accepted the apology.