America Rising filed Freedom of Information Act requests for communications from Environmental Protection Agency career staffers who had been critical of Administrator Scott Pruitt (pictured) or President Donald Trump. | Saul Loeb/Getty Images GOP firm ends controversial media monitoring contract with EPA

The Republican media monitoring firm Definers Public Affairs canceled its $120,000 contract with the Environmental Protection Agency after a media backlash because of the company's links to GOP opposition research firm America Rising.

Earlier this year, America Rising filed several Freedom of Information Act requests for communications from EPA career staffers who had been critical of Administrator Scott Pruitt or President Donald Trump. That included email sent by John O'Grady, a top union official at the EPA, that "mentions or refers to President Trump."


News reports about the two efforts to monitor news coverage about the agency and dig up information about dissenting staffers stirred new accusations that Pruitt is fostering an atmosphere of paranoia and distrust at EPA.

Definers described the decision to end the contract as mutual, although EPA spokesman Jahan Wilcox would not say whether the agency or company initiated the cancellation.

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Definers President Joe Pounder said in a written statement that previous administrations paid more for slower services, but “it’s become clear this will become a distraction. As a result, Definers and the EPA have decided to forgo the contract.” He added that the firm will not offer its services to any other federal agencies.

Mother Jones first reported on the contract, and The New York Times documented the ties between Definers and America Rising, which was also started by Pounder.

