Chris Christie announces the resignation of Port Authority chairman David Samson
ANDREW BURTON/Getty Images


New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Friday announced the resignation of David Samson, the chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, who became the latest casualty in the scandal surrounding the closure of several lanes of the George Washington Bridge in late 2013.
The move comes a day after Christie's internal inquiry into the scandal cleared Christie of any wrongdoing in Bridgegate. (Shocker, we know.) The most curious part of Team Christie's review was the fact that Samson was never interviewed, despite the fact that the Port Authority is in charge of operating the bridge.
At his Friday presser, Christie explained that Samson — who has denied involvement in Bridgegate — had considered stepping down long ago. Why? "He's 74 years old and he's tired," Christie said.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Christie's recent flurry of activity — which included an interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer — has been seen as an attempt to put the scandal behind him. Indeed, the presser was something of a return to form for the governor, who tangled with reporters with gusto. But with Samson resigning so quickly after the release of an internal review that conspicuously excluded his input, Christie may have raised more questions than he answered.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Ryu Spaeth is deputy editor at TheWeek.com. Follow him on Twitter.
-
Taking the low road: why the SNP is still standing strong
Talking Point Party is on track for a fifth consecutive victory in May’s Holyrood election, despite controversies and plummeting support
-
Has the Gaza deal saved Netanyahu?
Today's Big Question With elections looming, Israel’s longest serving PM will ‘try to carry out political alchemy, converting the deal into political gold’
-
French finances: what’s behind country’s debt problem?
The Explainer Political paralysis has led to higher borrowing costs and blocked urgent deficit-reducing reforms to social protection
-
Trump DOJ indicts New York AG Letitia James
Speed Read New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted as Trump’s Justice Department pursues charges against his political opponents
-
Judge blocks Trump’s Guard deployment in Chicago
Speed Read The president is temporarily blocked from federalizing the Illinois National Guard or deploying any Guard units in the state
-
Trump urges jail for Illinois, Chicago leaders
Speed Read The Texas National Guard begin operations in the Chicago area
-
Bondi stonewalls on Epstein, Comey in Senate face-off
Speed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi denied charges of using the Justice Department in service of Trump’s personal vendettas
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to Chicago
Speed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in Oregon
Speed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denial
Speed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats