A lawsuit against former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema will be allowed to proceed after a federal judge rejected her request to throw out the complaint.
A woman is suing the former lawmaker for having an affair with her husband, which led to the end of their marriage.
From Carolina Journal:
A federal judge has rejected former US Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s attempt to throw out a lawsuit alleging that she broke up a North Carolina marriage.
US District Judge David Bragdon issued an order Friday denying Sinema’s motion to dismiss the case filed by Heather Ammel of Moore County. Ammel alleges that Sinema’s romantic relationship with Matthew Ammel in 2024 led to the end of the Ammels’ marriage.
Matthew Ammel worked as a staffer for Sinema when she served as a US senator representing Arizona. Elected as a Democrat, Sinema eventually became an independent before ending her single Senate term.
“Ms. Ammel alleges that Ms. Sinema has committed the intentional tort of alienation of affection,” Bragdon wrote in the 13-page order. “To establish an alienation of affection claim, a party must show: ‘(1) there was a marriage with love and affection existing between the husband and wife; (2) that love and affection was alienated; and (3) the malicious acts of the defendant produced the loss of that love and affection.’”
“The evidence demonstrates that although the relationship between Mr. and Ms. Ammel was turbulent in 2024, there was still genuine love and affection between them, as reflected in their text messages,” Bragdon added.
“The evidence also shows that love and affection was alienated by Mr. Ammel’s relationship with Ms. Sinema, … and since their relationship included a sexual relationship, malice is conclusively presumed,” the judge wrote.
Sinema gave a deposition on July 31 in which she detailed her sexual relationship with Matthew Ammel.
Former U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has given sworn testimony detailing her sexual relationship with Matthew Ammel, a former member of her security detail, as she asks a federal judge to dismiss a North Carolina lawsuit accusing her of helping break up his marriage.
Heather Ammel, Matthew Ammel’s ex-wife, sued Sinema under North Carolina law, claiming the former Arizona senator knowingly interfered in the couple’s 14-year marriage and caused the loss of her husband’s affection. Sinema has acknowledged the romantic and sexual relationship but argues that the dispute does not belong in a North Carolina court because the conduct at issue occurred elsewhere.
Matthew Ammel began working as part of Sinema’s security operation in 2022. Their relationship later became romantic while Sinema was still serving in the U.S. Senate, according to court filings and her sworn testimony.
Heather Ammel claims Sinema’s involvement with her husband began before the marriage ended and included romantic communications, gifts, and private travel. The complaint states that love and affection still existed in the marriage before Sinema’s alleged interference. The couple separated in November 2024, and their divorce was finalized in March 2026.
During a July 31 deposition, Sinema testified that her physical relationship with Matthew Ammel began around Memorial Day weekend in 2024 in California. She described later sexual encounters in New York, Washington, Colorado, and Arizona. Sinema also testified that she learned in December 2023 that Ammel was married and had three children.
North Carolina is one of a few states that still allow a person to sue a third party for interfering in their marriage. The plaintiff must prove that they and their spouse had genuine love and affection which was destroyed by the third party’s actions.
The plaintiff does not have to prove that sexual infidelity occurred. They must only demonstrate that their conduct directly caused the marriage to end.
It’s not clear how often these lawsuits succeed. There are only about 200 to 250 such cases filed each year. But most never see the inside of a courtroom because those involved typically don’t want their private text messages, photographs, and other details to become a matter of public record.