The Bridgegate scandal deteriorates further as the Port Authority's chairman has resigned. Over the past couple of months the scandal over the lane closures of the George Washington Bridge has captivated New Jersey and affected national politics by placing former GOP favorite Chris Christie under scrutiny.

It was announced on Friday that David Samson, chairman of the Port Authority, resigned, according to the New York Times. He is the highest-ranking official linked with the bridge lane closure scandal to have left his job. A close advisor to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Samson, 74, was appointed to the position three years ago. However, now his whole career has come under investigation over his involvement with the September closure of lanes on the New Jersey end of the bridge.

Amidst federal investigations over accusation of conflict of interest concerning decisions he made as PA chairman, Samson refused to participate in Christie's investigation of his involvement in the scandal. With the release of the report on Thursday, Christie used the news on Friday of Samson's resignation as an opportunity to turn over a new leaf, according to the Times.

The million-dollar report written by Christie's lawyers at taxpayers' expense absolves the Republican governor of fault and blames his aides as the culprits. Yet, others may say otherwise. According to the New York Daily News, one of aides involved in the scandal, Bridget Ann Kelly, has agreed to testify, retracting her decision to invoke the Fifth Amendment. With this new source of information and Samson's resignation, the state legislature's investigation into the scandal takes a new turn.

"The governor's top appointee at the Port Authority refuses to be interviewed for the administration's report and then resigns the day after it comes out, leaving us once again with far more questions than answers," Assemblyman John Wisniewski and state Sen. Loretta Weinberg said in a joint statement, according to the Daily News.

Samson is implicated in various incidents. According to emails from Sept. 13, Wildstein wrote to Kelly, implicating Samson.

"The New York side gave Fort Lee back all three lanes this morning," Wildstein wrote. "We are appropriately going nuts. Samson helping us to retaliate."

Samson's law firm is also implicated in dubious deals made by the Port Authority as well as the Hurricane Sandy shakedown of Hoboken's mayor Dawn Zimmer.

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