Alienation of affection suit against former Arizona senator can go forward

(The Center Square) – Alienation of affection litigation in North Carolina against a former U.S. senator from Arizona can proceed, says a federal judge.

Defense for one-term former U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a Democrat who switched to independent for the last two of her six-year term, asked Judge David Bragdon for dismissal on grounds she had no connection to the state. In the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, Bragdon said text messages exchanged between she and Matthew Ammel provided jurisdiction to the Tarheel State.

Brandon also reviewed text messages of Ammel and his wife, Heather, reasoning one of the benchmarks needed – “still genuine love and affection between them” – in such a litigation was met.

Sinema has acknowledged a romantic relationship with Ammel, including via her deposition sexual encounters near Memorial Day 2024 in California. Later that year, they did so in June in New York City, in July in her Washington apartment, and in August in Colorado. Matthew Ammel in his deposition confirmed another time at her Beltway apartment.

Heather Ammel’s lawsuit says she discovered “romantic and lascivious” messages exchanged in early 2024 using the Signal messaging app.

Matthew Ammel landed a spot on Sinema’s security team after retiring from the Army in 2022. Sinema hired him in her Senate office that summer.

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Heather Ammel says “a good and loving marriage” was broken apart by Sinema, and said the former senator knew he was married. Alienation of affection lawsuits are permitted in North Carolina, Mississippi, Illinois, South Dakota, New Mexico and Hawaii.

The Ammels separated Nov. 1, 2024, and the divorce went final earlier this year in March.

Matthew Ammel and Heather Ammel remain registered Republicans with a Whispering Pines address in Moore County, according to public records from the State Board of Elections in North Carolina.

Sinema, 50, was in the Green Party prior to a 2004 switch to Democrats. The Brigham Young University undergrad with master’s and law degrees from Arizona State, has been divorced from Blake Dain since 1999. Sinema was in the Arizona House of Representatives from 2005-11, the Arizona Senate in 2011-12, and had three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives for the 9th Congressional District from 2013-19.

Sinema defeated Republican Martha McSally 50%-47.6% in the 2018 Senate race.

Today, Sinema advocates for the Make America Healthy Again movement; is a senior advisor for the Hogan Lovells Cadwalader law and lobbying firm co-headquartered in Washington and London; and has a position on a cryptocurrency industry advisory council at Coinbase.