Governor Christie has fired Bridget Anne Kelly, the deputy chief of staff who ordered the lane closure at the George Washington Bridge in September as political payback to the Fort Lee mayor who did not endorse the governor for reelection.

At a packed news conference in Trenton where he announced the firing, Christie apologized “for my failure to understand the true nature of this problem sooner than I did.”

He also said he had “no knowledge or involvement in this issue, in its planning or execution” and was stunned by the “abject stupidity that was shown.” Nevertheless, he said, he was responsible for what happened.

Christie said he was “embarrassed and humiliated” by his staff, one day after emails and text messages revealed his administration may have closed highway lanes to exact political retribution.

Christie said he is going to Fort Lee later today to apologize to Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich and borough residents. The mayor has said he does not want to meet with the governor, but Christie is traveling to Fort Lee anyway.

Christie said Stepien, his campaign manager on his last year’s reelection, was asked to leave his organization at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Kelly was fired at 9 a.m. today, Christie said.

He said Stepien had told him earlier that he had no involvement in the lane closures.

“I lost confidence in his judgment,” Christie said.