Kyrsten Sinema must face North Carolina lawsuit over affair

A federal judge has ruled that former U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema must face a lawsuit in North Carolina under the state’s “alienation of affection” law. The civil complaint was filed by Heather Ammel, who alleges that Sinema’s romantic relationship with her then-husband, Matthew Ammel, destroyed their marriage.

U.S. District Judge David A. Bragdon denied Sinema’s motion to dismiss, rejecting her argument that she lacked a sufficient connection to North Carolina to be sued there. The judge noted that Sinema sent nine text messages to Matthew Ammel while he was in North Carolina, making it “implausible” that she was unaware of his location.

Matthew Ammel, a former U.S. Army veteran, served on Sinema’s security detail starting in 2022 and later held a role as a national security fellow in her Senate office. Heather Ammel claims she discovered romantic messages between the two on the Signal messaging app in early 2024. Sinema has acknowledged the romantic relationship but has contested the jurisdiction of the North Carolina court.