(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today it received 22 pages of records in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, revealing that while Joe Biden was vice president for Barack Obama his German Shepherd, Champ, attacked his U.S. Secret Service protective detail. Judicial Watch earlier received Secret Service documents through FOIA lawsuits documenting that the two German Shepherd dogs he owned while president, Major and Commander, attacked two dozen Secret Service and White House personnel.
Judicial Watch received the documents in a June 18, 2024, FOIA request to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for Secret Service records:
Any and all records related to incidents of aggression and bites involving the now-deceased Biden family dog, “Champ,” including but not limited to communications sent to and from USSS [United State Secret Service] officials in the Uniformed and Non-Uniformed Divisions involved in White House operations, the Vice Presidential Protective Detail, and the Presidential Protection Division.
In a March 24, 2012, email with the subject “Dog attack!!,” an employee writes: “I need a couple of days off! Champ just tried to attack me!” Later in the exchange the employee responds to the assistant to the special agent in charge, “I need hazard pay!!”
On September 1, 2015, a special agent in the Vice Presidential Protective Division reports a bite on the forearm, requiring a torn jacket to be repaired, and notes that an attack by Champ had occurred on each of the prior three days:
Fyi, NEA [possibly North East Annex] is going to take the jacket and try to fix it, or will send it to their tailor.
I will get it when they are done.
Another agent writes about the incident to colleagues under the subject “Champ,” noting:
When I went over to the Res [VP Residence] tonight to check on [redacted], I informed [redacted] of the incident (since the MilAides [military aides], Docs and VPCROs are outside with us when Champ is around).
He said that Champ bit his forearm. The bite did not go thru his jacket but there were teeth indentations on his skin. There was no blood nor was the skin broken. He was check [sic] out by the Doc. AT [redacted] and [redacted] were notified. He still has marks on his skin today.
This just a FYI since you were going to brief the SAIC/DSAIC [special agent in charge/deputy special agent in charge] tomorrow. That’s three incidents in the past three days (including the one I briefed you on regarding [redacted] at the Lake House on Sunday).
A separate September 1, 2015, exchange between two Vice Presidential Division agents discusses recent incidents with Champ “So it’s been twice this week that Champ has snapped at someone on the shift. He came at me last week when I was on midnights, but I said his name which calmed him down before he could bite.”
A March 25, 2011, email from a lieutenant in the Uniformed Division, Vice Presidential Detail, alerts colleagues:
Yesterday two [redacted] sections officers observed the family pet – “Champ”– German Sheppard becoming more aggressive towards people, especially when the Labradoddle [sic] – “Brother” is around.
Today, “Champ” showed aggression towards a grounds worker. The CP [command post] put out a broadcast for all personnel to avoid playing with or interacting with the family pets.
Please make your personnel aware of this issue, and advise the CP to broadcast when the family pets are out on the grounds for the safety of the officers.”
On March 25, 2011, an email is sent warning that Champ had “been aggressively approaching and chasing our Uniformed Division officers:”
I just received a call from Inspector [redacted] reporting Champ has been aggressively approaching and chasing out Uniformed Division officers at night. Apparently, this has been a repetitive behavior over the past few nights.
Do you have any suggestions on how we can resolve this situation? We don’t want to have an officer bit or any harm to Champ.
On March 26, 2011, an email exchange with subject line “Family Pets,” warns that Champ “showed aggression” toward an agent and a civilian employee on two separate occasions:
“Champ” is becoming more protective of the residence. He showed aggression to one of our officers today and a second time to a Greenway employee [redacted]. Sgt. [redacted] spoke with [redacted] (who is a [redacted]), and she will turn off the automatic doggy door for both dogs, which means she will have to let them out herself. Officers on their push are required to call post [redacted] to find out where the dogs are, if they are out, for avoidance.
On May 11, 2011, a lieutenant on the Emergency Response Team writes that there had been “several incidents” recently where Champ had “shown aggression” toward members of the Secret Service Emergency Response Team:
Men – [likely Joe Biden] has indicated that his dog Champ has had several incidents where he has shown aggression towards members of ERT [Emergency Response Team] when we are posted at the VPR [vice president’s residence]. [Redacted] realizes that we are trying to give him and Champ space while walking the grounds and appreciates the job we are doing for him. Effective immediately, if Champ comes your way, call his name and let him see you. [Redacted] believes this will help alleviate any future aggression issues.
In the future, if you are having any issues performing your duties let me know about them. If the incidents with Champ continue to take place, let me know so we can find an alternative solution.
“No wonder the Secret Service is a mess. Biden’s dogs terrorized agents and White House personnel for a decade, and nothing was done about it until Judicial Watch exposed the dangerous scandal,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.
In June 2024, Judicial Watch uncovered Secret Service records that revealed the details about several incidents in which Secret Service personnel were bitten by then-President Biden’s dog Commander, sometimes requiring medical attention.
Judicial Watch FOIA requests and lawsuits exposed initial White House falsehoods about the severity and number of attacks by the Bidens’ previous dog, Major. Judicial Watch then received a tip that Commander was also attacking Secret Service personnel and uncovered documents last July showing 10 biting incidents.
According to a Judicial Watch source, President Biden mistreated his dogs. The source disclosed Biden punched and kicked his dogs.
In February 2024 Judicial Watch received records related to incidents of aggression by Commander, including at least 23 biting incidents. After one incident, East Wing public tours were stopped for approximately 20 minutes due to the blood on the floor. These records include a spreadsheet of 22 incident reports between October 2022 and June 2023, 10 of which required medical treatment.
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Source: Judicial Watch