The Real Housewives of New York City (RHONY) newcomer Erin Lichy has denied supporting Donald Trump‘s Stop the Steal Campaign, an initiative that supported the claim that the 2020 presidential election was “stolen” from Trump.

According to Variety, Lichy issued a statement on Monday (July 31), which reads as follows: “Regarding the hateful and misinformed social commentary going on about me, I’d like to dispel these false narratives before they continue any further. I do not deny the election and have never supported stop the steal. I unequivocally believe that the 2020 Presidential election was fair and the President was rightfully elected.”

Lichy was caught Reddit-handed, as a TikTok post from 2022 resurfaced on the forum site that revealed she donated $400 to Trump’s campaign after he lost the election on Nov. 3, 2020.

After searching Lichy’s name in the Federal Election Commission database, four results pop up that disclose four different $100 donations between Nov. 5 and Nov. 9 to WinRed, the Republican Party’s Political Action Committee (PAC). that solicits fundraising. According to Variety, the first two were not allocated anywhere specific, whereas the latter two “are earmarked for the ‘Trump Make America Great Again Committee.’

Fans have reached out to her to get to the bottom of the story, including one individual on TikTok, who posted her Instagram DM conversation with Lichy. The TikToker sent her a DM saying, “Erin, girl, please explain… I just don’t understand denying being a Trump supporter but then clear evidence you donated??”

Lichy replied, “I will send you what I’ve sent everyone else and everyone seems to have it clarified,” explaining that she has had “great dialogue” with others who have contacted her with questions.

“There was a time very early on when some in my family (were Israeli and he seemed to support Israel in a way that was different and seemed positive) that supported him,” she said. “I was intrigued and therefore i felt in support at that stage,” a stage which she described as “short lived.”

She clarified that she “by NO means supported stop the steal.”

“Somehow my account just kept getting roped in – I didn’t even know until the show came out!” she continued, referring to the first episode of RHONY that aired with its new cast on July 16. “Insane. January 6 stuff is a complete lie.”

She added that she was “appalled by all,” but still “appreciate[s] the ability to be open minded and ask questions.”

“I made a bad judgment call for a hot second, that’s really all it was,” she explained.

She also sent a New York Times article that delved into an investigation surrounding WinRed, which is a for-profit company, and how they “set up recurring donation by default for online donors, for every week until the election,” unless they read the fine print and opted out.

Lichy joined the new RHONY cast for the series revival. The new season has received positive responses from fans.

RHONY airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo. Next-day streaming is available on Peacock.