A political controversy surrounding New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has grown into a scandal after it emerged a top aide deliberately ordered traffic delays to exact political revenge. Newly released documents show Christie’s Deputy Chief of Staff Bridget Anne Kelly personally ordered the closure of lanes leading to the George Washington Bridge, which connects New Jersey to New York City, to punish the mayor of Fort Lee for declining to endorse Christie’s bid for re-election. In an email to another Christie appointee and high school friend, David Wildstein, Kelly wrote: “Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee.” The closures caused massive traffic jams with just one lane operational over a four-day period. The scandal could threaten Christie’s expected candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016. In a statement, Christie denied involvement, saying he was “outraged and deeply saddened” by his deputy’s actions.