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Sidney Purcell
Screen Shot 2019-04-30 at 8.17
Personal details
Occupation Lobbyist
Criminal information
Apprehended March 2, 2020

Sidney Purcell is a lobbyist. He supports the Opposition party and is frequently a thorn in the side of Selina Meyer and her agenda.

He was arrested in 2020 after it was revealed that he participated in a network of illegal campaign contributions to high-ranking Iowa politicians.

Lobbying career[]

In 2013, Purcell was working as an oil lobbyist trying to kill Vice President Selina Meyer's Clean Jobs Bill, which he calls a "disgrace". After Meyer attempts to appease the oil industry by placing Chuck Furnham, an ex-oil industry official, on the Clean Jobs task force, Purcell responds angrily by saying Furnham is not cozy enough with oil. After the White House says that they would like a "Sidney Purcell-type figure" involved with the task force, Dan Egan makes a deal with Purcell, saying Chuck Furnham will remain on the task force, with Purcell having an unofficial private channel to the Vice President, with far more influence.

Purcell makes another appearance on Shutdown as Dan looks for a job after being furloughed. He also appears in Running, laughing as he hears that Selina walked through a glass door, saying he pushed someone through a glass door once and found it hilarious.

After Dan is fired, Dan begins working for Purcell's lobbying firm. Amy later joins as well.

In Morning After, Dan is fired by Purcell, saying he's "as useless as a 40 year old woman".

2016 election[]

Purcell supported candidate Bill O'Brien during the 2016 presidential election.

After election resulted in an electoral college tie, Purcell joined vice-presidential nominee Tom James and House Speaker Jim Marwood in a plan to make James the president of the United States. James appealed to Purcell by subtly making positive comments in the media about Purcell's clients, such as salmon and zucchini. In return, Purcell helped lobby members of congress in order to create a deadlock in the House of Representatives' tie break vote for president.

Purcell and James succeeded in preventing either presidential candidate from being elected, however, James' vice-presidential opponent, Laura Montez, was elected in the Senate and became president of the United States.

Arrest[]

In 2020, Purcell was lobbying for Con-Ag-Chem Family Farms, a pesticide corporation. Dan Egan, now Chief of Staff to Mayor Richard Splett of Lurlene, Iowa, set up a meeting with Purcell. Purcell wanted to get Splett to support deregulation of the pesticide industry, in exchange for Splett taking an open seat in the Iowa State Senate. Splett declined the offer.

Later during a press conference, Splett inadvertently exposed Purcell and several high-ranking Iowa politicians, who accepted illegal campaign contributions from Con-Ag-Chem. Purcell was arrested in March 2020.

Appearances[]

He is portrayed by Peter Grosz.

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