Judge clears a lawsuit against Kyrsten Sinema under North Carolina's 'homewrecker' law

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PHOENIX (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema can be sued under North Carolina's homewrecker law over her relationship with a member of her security detail, a judge ruled Friday.

Sinema has acknowledged having a romantic relationship with Matthew Ammel but argued that she can't be sued in North Carolina because she has no connection to the state.

U.S. District Judge David A. Bragdon rejected that argument, saying nine text messages she sent Ammel while he was in the state give North Carolina jurisdiction over her. He found it implausible that she was unaware of Ammel's whereabouts when she texted him.

Sinema's lawyer, Steven Epstein, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

The lawsuit, filed by Ammel's ex-wife, seeks financial damages from Sinema, who represented Arizona in the U.S. House and later the Senate for one term that ended early last year. North Carolina is one of a handful of states that allow jilted spouses to sue for “alienation of affection” to seek compensation from a third party responsible for the breakup of their marriage.

Matthew and Heather Ammel had “a good and loving marriage” with “genuine love and affection” before Sinema interfered, pursuing Matthew Ammel despite knowing he was married, Heather Ammel alleges in her lawsuit.

Matthew Ammel joined Sinema's security team after he retired from the Army in 2022 and accompanied her on domestic and foreign travel, according to Heather Ammel's complaint.

In early 2024, Heather Ammel discovered “romantic and lascivious” messages her husband had exchanged with Sinema over the Signal messaging app. That summer, he stopped wearing his wedding ring and Sinema gave him a job as a national security fellow in her Senate office while he continued to work for her campaign as a bodyguard, the lawsuit alleges.

Sinema described their sexual encounters during a deposition in July. She said the relationship turned sexual on May 27, 2024, during a trip to Napa, California. She said they later had sexual encounters in New York, Washington, Colorado and Arizona, but never North Carolina.

Matthew and Heather Ammel separated on Nov. 1, 2024.