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Definers Public Affairs

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Definers Public Affairs, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 28 November 202513 sources
Definers Public Affairs
Company typePrivate
IndustryOpposition research, Strategic communications
Founded2016
FounderJoe Pounder, Matt Rhoades
Headquarters
Arlington, Virginia
,
United States
Area served
United States, United Kingdom (London office)
Key people
Andrew Goodfellow (head of U.K. Policy Group), Tim Miller (Silicon Valley office lead)
ProductsMedia monitoring, Opposition research, Strategic communications, Digital marketing campaigns, Political intelligence gathering
Number of employees
At least 9 senior staff members (shared with America Rising)
Websitewww.definerspublicaffairs.com

Definers Public Affairs operated as a U.S.-based opposition research firm with conservative leanings, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. The company specialized in monitoring media coverage, leveraging the FOIA for investigative purposes, and developing strategic communications aimed at undermining the reputations of individuals, corporations, candidates, and organizations that opposed their clientele. Definers shared office space and at least nine senior staff members with America Rising, a Republican-aligned political action committee, as well as with NTK Network, a digital news aggregator platform.

Organization and operations

Established in 2016 by Republican strategists Joe Pounder and Matt Rhoades,[1][2][3] Definers quickly positioned itself within conservative political circles.

In 2017, Definers entered into a strategic collaboration with the law firm Dentons, resulting in the creation of 3D Global Affairs.[4][5] This partnership provides clients with a comprehensive suite of services including legal counsel, lobbying efforts, advocacy initiatives, digital marketing campaigns, data analysis, opposition research, and political intelligence gathering.[6]

Expanding its reach, Definers launched an office in San Francisco aimed at serving Silicon Valley clients through opposition research,[7] and in 2017 established a London division known as the U.K. Policy Group. This branch was headed by Andrew Goodfellow, who previously led research for the Conservative Party.[8][9]

To support its clients’ objectives, Definers actively pitched narratives to outlets such as NTK Network and America Rising. These stories were occasionally further disseminated by larger media platforms including Breitbart[10][11] and GotNews, which is owned by alt-right figure Charles C. Johnson.[12] According to internal client documents from Definers, this strategy is designed to generate an "echo chamber effect" among these media outlets.[12] A former staff member referred to NTK Network as Definers' "in-house fake news shop".[13]

Contract Awarded by Environmental Protection Agency

In December 2017, Definers Public Affairs secured a $120,000 no-bid contract from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to identify "resistance figures" opposing Administrator Scott Pruitt, who was appointed during President Donald Trump's administration. Initially, Definers inaccurately claimed to be a "small disadvantaged business," a designation later corrected after the contract was awarded. Allan Blutstein, a legal representative for Definers, submitted Freedom of Information Act requests targeting EPA personnel viewed as antagonistic to Pruitt's policy objectives. The contract misleadingly described Definers’ duties as “media monitoring.” After facing media investigation and public criticism, Definers terminated the agreement.

Former EPA Administrator William K. Reilly condemned the decision to hire Definers, stressing that the agency’s most valuable resources are public confidence and a committed workforce, describing the move as either "tone-deaf" or worse. John O’Grady, President of the American Federation of Government Employees Council 238—representing 10,000 EPA staff members—deemed Definers a threat. Charles Tiefer from the University of Baltimore characterized Definers’ engagement as an example of politically motivated crony capitalism.

Claims Made by Shervin Pishevar

In November 2017, venture capitalist Shervin Pishevar initiated legal action against Definers Public Affairs, accusing the firm of conducting a smear campaign targeting him. Definers refuted any involvement in activities related to Pishevar.

Engagement with Facebook

Facebook expanded its contract with Definers Public Affairs in October 2017; initially, the firm was hired to track media coverage amid concerns about Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The contract’s scope later included addressing issues such as the Cambridge Analytica data breach, hate speech, and regulatory challenges. Definers opened an office in Silicon Valley led by Tim Miller, formerly a spokesperson for Jeb Bush, who promoted strategies that emphasized highlighting positive narratives about clients while drawing attention to unfavorable information about competitors.

Elliot Schrage, Facebook’s Head of Communications and Policy, acknowledged that Definers was tasked with gathering information on philanthropist George Soros after Soros publicly criticized Facebook. A research document produced by Definers circulated internally linking Soros—often targeted by antisemitic conspiracy theories—to Facebook critics.

After a New York Times exposé revealed Definers’ activities, Facebook ended its relationship with the firm. Soros' Open Society Foundations denounced the research as a "deliberate strategy to distract" from Facebook’s controversies and cautioned that it posed risks to democratic principles. Tim Miller defended Definers’ work as factually grounded and narrowly focused on funding sources connected to groups opposing Facebook. Subsequently, BuzzFeed News published segments of Definers’ research concerning Soros.

External links

  1. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named NYT
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MJ
  3. ↑ Sherman, Jake (September 6, 2017). "Former Jeb Bush spokesman Tim Miller joining Definers Public Affairs". Politico. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Lobbying world". The Hill. December 5, 2017. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Dentons announces strategic alliance to create 3D Global Affairs" (Press release). Dentons. November 30, 2017. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Dentons announces strategic alliance to create 3D Global Affairs". Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  7. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named recode
  8. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Politico
  9. ↑ Paavola, Christy (July 14, 2017). ""Blood, Toil, Tears And Sweat"". Definers Public Affairs.
  10. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named NY Times Delay
  11. ↑ Wong, Julia Carrie (2018-11-15). "Facebook reportedly discredited critics by linking them to George Soros". the Guardian.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named NY Times trickery
  13. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named NBC in-house

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