Betsy Sullivan

"From the time I was little, it was hammered into my head how fortunate I was. There were some days growing up where it killed me to know that while I was taking ballet, those poor people across the boulevard were taking bullets. So call it community service, call it guilt, but I have always wanted to help that community." — Betsy Sullivan to Jessica Pearson

Betsy Sullivan is a wealthy woman who was considered by Pat McGann to become alderman of the 54th ward. She made her sole appearance in "The Union Leader".

History

Betsy Sullivan is a woman who is a friend of Pat McGann. Born in wealth, she hosted fundraisers and had her own company. Beliving that people of color were meant to serve her and were beneath her, she created loopholes that allowed prisoners and ex-convicts of Chicago to work for her, claiming they were grateful for the work, while also skirting union laws. Betsy and McGann soon conspired for her to become appointed alderman of the 54th ward in Chicago's South Side following former alderman Deborah Coates' resignation, with Betsy intending to insert the same loophole to allow McGann to hire non-unionized labor. McGann scheduled a meeting with Chicago mayor Bobby Novak to demand her appointment, although the meeting was instead taken by Jessica Pearson, who demanded to have Betsy vetted first.

Betsy took a lunch meeting with Jessica, claiming to be aware of her privilege of growing up while those inhabiting the lower-income neighborhoods of the 54th ward were in peril, and that she wished to help them out of guilt and/or community service. However, as she explained using non-unionized labor in her company through convicts and prisoners, Jessica realized her racist nature and informed McGann that Betsy would not become appointed as an alderman.^[1]

Appearances

Pearson, Season 1
#01	"The Alderman"	#06	"The Donor"
#02	"The Superintendent"	#07	"The Immigration Lawyer"
#03	"The Union Leader"	#08	"The Political Wife"
#04	"The Deputy Mayor"	#09	"The Rival"
#05	"The Former City Attorney"	#10	"The Fixer"

References