NORTH CAROLINA — U.S. District Judge David A. Bragdon ruled that former U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema can be sued under North Carolina's alienation of affection law. The ruling allows a lawsuit alleging Sinema contributed to the dissolution of Heather and Matthew Ammel's 14-year marriage to proceed in federal court.

Bragdon rejected Sinema's argument that she had no connection to North Carolina, citing nine text messages she sent to Matthew Ammel while he was in the state. "Ms. Sinema knew that Mr. Ammel was married, lived in North Carolina, and had children there," Bragdon wrote in the ruling.

The judge stated it was implausible that Sinema did not know Ammel's whereabouts during their communications. "The evidence further supports the conclusion that she knew Mr. Ammel generally returned to North Carolina when he was not with her," Bragdon added.

Matthew and Heather Ammel separated on November 1, 2024. Their divorce was finalized in 2025. Steven Epstein is Sinema's lawyer.

Why It Matters

North Carolina is one of a handful of states that allow spouses to sue for alienation of affection. This legal framework permits civil lawsuits against third parties alleged to be responsible for damaging a marriage, most often referring to one that has ended in divorce.

The case involves allegations that a former senator engaged in a relationship with a member of her security detail while knowing he was married. The ruling establishes that Sinema can face legal consequences under state law despite her status as a former federal official.

Timeline

Matthew Ammel retired from the Army in 2022 before joining Sinema's security team. Court records indicate Matthew Ammel was physically located in North Carolina 60% of the time between November 1, 2023, and November 1, 2024, as determined by phone records and corroborated by the court’s ruling. Heather Ammel alleged in her lawsuit that she discovered romantic messages between her husband and Sinema on the Signal messaging app in early 2024.

Sinema stated in a July deposition that the relationship became sexual on May 27, 2024, during a trip to Napa, California. Heather Ammel alleged in her lawsuit that Matthew Ammel stopped wearing his wedding ring in the summer of 2024. Matthew and Heather Ammel's divorce was finalized in 2025.

What's New

Additional reporting indicates Matthew Ammel worked for multiple security firms and government entities, including TOA Group, Kinsaker Security Group, Ridgeline Defense, Staccato 2011, and the U.S. Senate, during the period of his relationship with Kyrsten Sinema. Heather Ammel alleged in her lawsuit that Sinema gave Matthew Ammel a job as a national security fellow in her Senate office while he continued working as her bodyguard.

Matthew Ammel retired from the Army in 2022 before joining Sinema's security team. Heather Ammel alleged in her lawsuit that she discovered romantic messages between her husband and Sinema on the Signal messaging app in early 2024. Sinema stated in a July deposition that subsequent sexual encounters occurred in New York, Washington, D.C. Colorado, and Arizona, but not in North Carolina.