The mayor of the New Jersey city apparently targeted for political retribution by Gov. Chris Christie’s administration is now saying he was asked if he would consider endorsing the governor for re-election.

The mayor, Mark Sokolich of Fort Lee, confirmed media reports that he was approached. He didn’t say Monday why he reversed his earlier account that he could not recall “a specific request to endorse.” He did tell CNN last week that other events could be seen as an attempt to attract his endorsement.

He ended up backing a fellow Democrat in the election.

Documents appear to show Christie loyalists engineered massive gridlock in Fort Lee, which the mayor interpreted as political punishment.

Christie has said Sokolich was never mentioned to him as somebody whose endorsement his campaign was pursuing.

(AP)