Paul Violette has resigned as head of the Maine Turnpike Authority, effective immediately, the MTA board of directors announced this morning.

In a resignation letter dated today, the 24-year executive director said his leadership “has become an issue, and possibly even the central issue, for many legislators” in the wake of a report issued by the Office of Program Evaluation & Government Accountability.

Additional Photos

A May 2009 photo of Paul Violette. AP/Maine Turnpike Authority

In that report, MTA and Violette came under fire for distributing some $157,000 worth of gift certificates.