Glenn Reynolds points to a story in a local Chester County, PA paper titled “Breeder Regrets Dog Sale to Biden.” I clicked the link, expecting to find a story about Biden neglecting the pooch because he’s too busy doing whatever it is that vice presidents do.
Instead, it’s a tale of what a royal pain in the ass it is to do business with a high profile government official.
After the story about the puppy sale ran in the newspapers and on TV newscasts, three dog wardens from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture showed up on Brown’s doorstep for a kennel inspection. And they showed up again and again for four visits over four months.
She said she has also received death threats from animal activists against her and Biden, which were reported to the Secret Service and the FBI. Bob Slama, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Philadelphia field office, said the agency “cannot comment on an ongoing investigation.” J.J. Klaver, special agent at the Philadelphia field office of the FBI, said his agency is not investigating the matter at this time.
“I thought when Joe Biden bought a puppy from me, what an honor,” Brown said. “Out of millions of breeders in the country, in the world, he picked me.” The glow dimmed almost immediately. Following a story about Brown and Biden in the Daily Local News, readers posted 131 comments, some chiding Biden for having the Secret Service with him when he went puppy shopping and others complaining he did not get the dog from a shelter.
And then PETA got involved . . . .
The Internet has turned virtually everyone into a potential public figure. Ten years ago, she might have gotten a few nasty letters or a couple of crank calls from people who read about the story in the local paper. Nowadays, though, hyper-local stories can be nationalized and acted upon by activist groups.
