DA election loser Davidson to quit

Tuesday, July 8, 2003 | 11:23 a.m.

After staying long enough to qualify for Clark County retirement benefits, Assistant District Attorney Mike Davidson is leaving his post overseeing the Family Support division, the District Attorney's office has confirmed.

Davidson, an employee in the district attorney's office since 1998, lost the election for Clark County district attorney to David Roger in November.

After the election, Roger, a Republican, said he would allow Davidson, a Democrat, to remain at his post for several months to reach the five-year mark that would qualify him for county retirement benefits.

Assistant District Attorney Chuck Thompson confirmed today that Davidson is leaving the office at the end of the month or shortly afterward and "is vested in county retirement benefits."

Roger, vacationing in San Diego today, said by phone that Davidson officially will become eligible for retirement benefits on July 31.

Roger said that he has not yet received a letter of resignation from Davidson, but one is forthcoming. He said there was "an understanding" that Davidson would leave shortly after qualifying for retirement benefits.

Roger said Davidson has not told him where he plans to work after leaving the district attorney's office.

Attempts to reach Davidson at his home and office today for comment were not successful. Davidson was out of town and cannot be reached, his office said.

Thompson said he and director of human relations Leonard Cash will temporarily oversee Family Support, which includes among its duties collecting child support, until the county approves a replacement.

In the November general run-off, Roger, a criminal prosecutor who in May 2000 gained guilty verdicts against Sandy Murphy and Rick Tabish in the high-profile murder of ex-casino executive Teddy Binion, collected 53 percent of the vote to Davidson's 41 percent.

Prior to coming to the district attorney's office, Davidson, 49, was in private practice for 20 years.

He graduated from the University of Miami with a bachelor's degree in biology in 1974 and earned his law degree in 1978 from the University of Arizona.

During his tenure in Family Support, the department collected about $300,000 each workday in child support payments that benefited about 150,000 children.