The EPA Hired a Major Republican Opposition Research Firm to Track Press Activity
Source: Mother Jones
The EPA Hired a Major Republican Opposition Research Firm to Track Press Activity
It promises war room style media monitoring.
REBECCA LEBER, ANDY KROLL AND RUSS CHOMA DEC. 15, 2017 6:00 AM
Using taxpayer dollars, the Environmental Protection Agency has hired a cutting-edge Republican PR firm that specializes in digging up opposition research to help Administrator Scott Pruitts office track and shape press coverage of the agency.
According to federal contracting records, earlier this month Pruitts office inked a no-bid $120,000 contract with Definers Corp., a Virginia-based public relations firm founded by Matt Rhoades, who managed Mitt Romneys 2012 presidential campaign. Following Romneys defeat, Rhoades established America Rising, an ostensibly independent political action committee that works closely with the Republican National Committee and Republican candidates to mine damning information on opponents. Other higher-ups at Definers include former RNC research director Joe Pounder, whos been described as a master of opposition research, and senior vice president Colin Reed, an oppo-research guru billed as among the leaders of the war on {Sen. Elizabeth} Warren.
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USASpending.gov, a website that tracks federal spending, shows that in early 2016 the EPA signed a $207,000 contract with a firm called Bulletin Intelligence, requesting similar services. Bulletin is owned by public relations giant Cision, a well-known international PR firm. According to OpenSecrets.orgs expenditure data, Bulletin is not political and has not done any recent work for any candidates or PACs. The contract expired in February.
Definers also recently launched a new venture with the global law firm Dentons, which describes itself as combining political intelligence, legal advisors, campaign-style tactics, lobbying, governmental affairs, research, and communications into one unique offering to help clients. ... The career of at least one of Pruitts staffers has overlapped with the Republican operatives at Definers. Jahan Wilcox, who previously worked for Marco Rubios presidential campaign and in rapid response for the Republican National Committee, is now a spokesperson for the EPA.
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Rebecca Leber is a reporter in Mother Jones' DC bureau. Reach her at rleber@motherjones.com.
Andy Kroll is an investigative reporter at Mother Jones. For more of his stories, click here. Follow him on Twitter here. Send tips, scoops, and documents to akroll (at) motherjones (dot) com.
Russ Choma is a reporter in the Washington bureau of Mother Jones covering money in politics and influence.
Read more: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/12/the-epa-hired-a-major-republican-opposition-research-firm-to-track-press-activity/
Retweeted by David Fahrenthold: https://twitter.com/Fahrenthold
The EPA Hired a Major Republican Opposition Research Firm to Track Press Activity. @rebleber @AndyKroll @russchoma
Link to tweet
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https://www.definersdc.com/
Definers Public Affairs is a unique consulting firm that translates proven political campaign communications techniques to the corporate, trade association and issue advocacy fields.
https://www.definersdc.com/team
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USASpending.gov
https://www.usaspending.gov/Pages/Default.aspx
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