Previously working as a judge and an alderman, William Emmett Dever is a politician who became the Democratic candidate for Mayor of Chicago, winning the election in 1922.

His original focus was to improve the cities infrastructure, but the focus of his administration shifted in 1923 after several deadly shoot-outs between rival groups of rum runners, making it clear that the city's bootlegging situation had become an epidemic.

Dever himself opposed prohibition, being known as a 'wet' Democrat, but has taken the personal position that disregard for the law, even if he disagrees with it, is unacceptable, with the press calling him 'Decent Dever' for his resolution to uphold the law.

Dever has started a major law-enforcement crackdown on bootlegging, which is already being labelled as the "Great Beer War", and he appears to be riding the popularity with the press of his actions to a possible run to become a potential vice president or even presidential nominee.