Benedictine Sisters accuse GOP operative of ‘public defamation’ over voter fraud claim

A community of Benedictine Sisters in a key election swing state is deploring “false and misleading information about their membership” posted on social media by a Republican Party political operative.

The Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Pa., issued an Oct. 23 statement noting they are “pursuing legal counsel” regarding “public defamation” after self-described “door-knocking guru” Cliff Maloney alleged on X (formerly Twitter) that while “53 voters are registered” at the Mount St. Benedict Monastery, “turns out … NO ONE lives there.

“We knocked on the door because a Republican mail-in ballot is unreturned,” wrote Maloney, founder of The Pennsylvania Chase, a door-to-door campaign funded by the Citizens Alliance of Pennsylvania political action committee, in his Oct. 23 post. “Our attorney’s are reviewing this right now. We will not let the Dems count on illegal votes.”

Maloney included an image of an apparent text message, which he called a “receipt from Jeremy (one of our leaders in Erie),” that indicated the canvasser had spoken with “the lady working” at the monastery, who advised him that no one lived at the monastery, but (according to the canvasser) “from time to time” residents pass through and may “stay a night or two.”

Investigative journalist Jacqueline Sweet quickly disputed the claim, saying on X that she had confirmed with the sisters that they live full-time at the monastery.

In a subsequent X post, Maloney explained that his “goal is only to count legal votes,” adding, “We’ve got our team continuing to analyze the situation. … Once we have proof, we will be content.”

But Sister Linda Romey, coordinator of communications and development for the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, told OSV News there is nothing to analyze or to prove.

“There are … 67 of us (sisters), and around 55 actually live at the monastery full-time. It has been our home since 1970 when we built it,” she said. “Since 1970, there has not been a single night that people have not been here. … It is our home. And that’s the part that is rather distressing. It is so easily verifiable.”

She added, “I don’t even think they know what the word monastery means,” and noted that Benedictines actually take a vow of stability to their community, pledging to remain in their respective monasteries for life.

Sister Linda also disputed the credibility of the source cited by Maloney.

“Taking the word of one canvasser who says he talked to someone on the property — what kind of legitimacy is that?” said Sister Linda. “We have talked to all of the sisters who are on the switchboard, and nobody has any recollection of anybody coming in and asking a question about the 53 people that supposedly live here.”

Sister Stephanie Schmidt, prioress of the monastery, said in the monastery’s statement that she and her community “want to call Cliff Maloney to account for his blatantly false post that accuses our sisters of fraud.”

She also urged social media users “to be vigilant and seek additional information before accepting these posts as truth.

“A free republic depends on free and fair elections,” she said. “It depends equally on a discerning and conscientious citizenry who do not unquestioningly accept the word of anyone who has a social media platform.”

While they are pushing back at Maloney for his claims, the sisters remain committed to their Benedictine tradition of hospitality to all, said Sister Linda.

“If Cliff Maloney were to come in our door, we would welcome him,” she said. “We would invite him for a conversation. We’d invite him to pray with us. That’s what the rule of Benedict says: Invite the guests to pray. And then we’d invite him for a meal.

“But as of now,” she said, “that hasn’t happened.”

OSV News has contacted Maloney for comment and is awaiting a response.

Pennsylvania is a key swing state in the 2024 election cycle. It will likely play a significant role in whether former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris is elected to the White House.

Trump and Harris are in a virtual tie in the state, a FiveThirtyEight polling average accessed Oct. 24 showed.

Gina Christian and Kate Scanlon co-authored this story.

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