package apt-offline 1.3.1ubuntu0.1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1

[Alex Pearson]

Working with a python reinstall, and this was the series of errors that hung up the purge command.

ProblemType: Package
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: apt-offline 1.3.1ubuntu0.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.2.0-30.36~14.04.1-generic 4.2.8-ckt3
Uname: Linux 4.2.0-30-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.19
Architecture: amd64
Date: Mon Mar 14 11:49:55 2016
DpkgTerminalLog:
 Removing apt-offline (1.3.1ubuntu0.1) ...
 Could not find platform independent libraries <prefix>
 Could not find platform dependent libraries <exec_prefix>
 Consider setting $PYTHONHOME to <prefix>[:<exec_prefix>]
 ImportError: No module named site
DuplicateSignature: package:apt-offline:1.3.1ubuntu0.1:subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
ErrorMessage: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-03-03 (10 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 14.04.4 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20160217.1)
PackageArchitecture: all
RelatedPackageVersions:
 dpkg 1.17.5ubuntu5.5
 apt 1.0.1ubuntu2.11
SourcePackage: apt-offline
Title: package apt-offline 1.3.1ubuntu0.1 failed to install/upgrade: subprocess installed pre-removal script returned error exit status 1
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.