Clay Davis
| R. Clayton 'Clay' Davis | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| First appearance | "One Arrest" (episode 1.07) |
| Last appearance | "Late Editions" (episode 5.09) |
| Created by | David Simon |
| Portrayed by | Isiah Whitlock, Jr. |
| Information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Maryland State Senator |
State Senator R. Clayton "Clay" Davis is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Isiah Whitlock, Jr. Davis is a corrupt Maryland State Senator with a reputation for pocketing bribes. However, throughout the series Davis remains protected by other ranking politicians and Police Commissioner Ervin Burrell.
Davis was known for his idiosyncratic profanity, often when confronted with bad news, comically elongating the word shit as sheeeeeeeee-it.
These are summaries of events depicted in Davis' career in each season of the television show:
When Lt. Cedric Daniels' detail discovers $20,000 of Avon Barksdale's drug money in the car of Davis's driver, they try to expand the wiretap-based investigation to include Davis. Deputy Commissioner Ervin Burrell calls Daniels into a private meeting with Davis, pressuring him into excluding the senator's alleged involvement. However, Daniels is unwilling to drop the case. Nevertheless, Burrell pulls the plug on the investigation, and Clay Davis's involvement is effectively left buried. However, it is mentioned that Davis has a reputation for taking bribes, and has been under federal investigation for the last two years.
Davis attends a Democratic Party fundraiser thrown by stevedore union leader Frank Sobotka, accepting contributions in return for assurances that he would vote to construct the granary pier that Sobotka believes will help revitalize the union. After the press reports on criminal activities within the union, Sobotka's lobbyist advises him that none of the politicians -- including Davis, presumably -- will follow through. Davis is later seen at a groundbreaking ceremony for dockside condominia being built on the site of the proposed granary pier.
Davis acts as a consultant for Stringer Bell, taking bribes from the Barksdale Organization while claiming to win state government contracts for the drug empire's legitimate business front, B&B. However, Bell becomes suspicious when he learns that block grants have been given to several city developers instead of B&B. Maurice Levy, Bell's lawyer, concludes that Davis has "rain made" Bell; the senator has played off Stringer's inexperience in legitimate business, taking the money and doing nothing in return. Stringer, furious, tells Slim Charles that he wants him to assassinate Davis, but Barksdale warns him that murdering a public figure will bring too much unwanted attention from the authorities.
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Wikipedia