When he came to Washington in 1959 Sidney Zagri was the only lobbyist for the Teamsters Union. Originally from New York, he came to Washington from St. Louis. He was a close associate of Harold Gibbons who was an aide to Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa. Zagri was a rotund man who often rubbed people the wrong way. In contrast to his outwardly congenial disposition, some Congressmen and Senators recalled Zagri as spiteful. Democratic Senator Stewart Udall described the lobbyist as "ruthless, domineering and arrogant."