Today, Chris Christie is seeing his hopes for a presidential campaign tearing apart like frayed gauze: Chris Christie: ‘I Am Embarrassed’.

“It is heartbreaking to me that I wasn’t told the truth,” the New Jersey governor and potential 2016 presidential candidate told reporters at a 107-minute news conference in Trenton. “I’m a very loyal guy, and I expect loyalty in return, and lying to me is not an exhibition of loyalty.”

“I am embarrassed and humiliated by the conduct of some of the people on my team. There is no doubt in my mind that the conduct they exhibited is completely unacceptable,” he added. “It showed a lack of respect for the appropriate role of government and the people that were trusted to serve.”

Christie announced he had immediately fired Bridget Kelly, a deputy chief of staff in his office who sent an email that it was “time for traffic problems in Fort Lee” at a time when Christie’s campaign was seeking an endorsement from the Democratic mayor of the city. Christie said Kelly had failed to come forward to explain earlier when he challenged his staff say if they had knowledge of the lane closures.

“She was not given the opportunity to explain why she lied,” Christie said.

Meanwhile, in testimony before the New Jersey Assembly Transportation Committee, close Christie ally David Wildstein repeatedly pleaded the 5th Amendment.

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