Cub reporter Dusty Hotchkiss is ignored by his editor Scudder, and all the good assignments go to ace reporter Speed Hanson. Scudder finally gives Dusty an interview with M. H. Thomas, a paving and building contractor who runs the city. Thomas has selected a puppet candidate, Lewis, to run for mayor so that he will get all the city's subsequent contracts for paving and the resulting graft. Dusty never gets in to see Thomas, who is in the midst of a meeting until his former mistress, Pearl Vaughan, breaks in and threatens to expose him for pushing her aside. Pearl consults with district attorney Carter Harrison, who backs an honest politician named Hall against Thomas' dishonest candidate. Pearl agrees to bring her evidence against Thomas to Carter that evening, but she is kidnapped by Thomas's henchman, Terry, as she leaves Carter's office. At the news room, Dusty intercepts a call from Carter, who wants fill Scudder in on the story. Instead of telling Scudder about the call, Dusty goes that night to Carter's home where Thomas, who has been trying to bribe him, orders Terry to shoot Carter. Seeing Hall's daughter Constance in the room, Dusty assumes that she is responsible for the shooting, and prints a story relating this misconception. When the truth is exposed, Scudder fires Dusty, who vows he will "dump Carter's murderer right in his lap." Dusty seeks Constance's trust, and together they go in search of Pearl, whom Dusty has connected to both Thomas and Carter. Finding Pearl on Thomas' yacht, Dusty interviews her before he is caught by Terry, whom he fights. Constance calls the harbor police who break up the brawl. In order to save the reputation of Constance's father, she and Dusty get Terry away from the police and literally dump him in Scudder's lap. They print the story before the election, and Dusty regains his job and wins the love of Constance.