Former Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema was in Utah Friday a day after news broke that she has been sued over allegedly initiating an affair with a member of her Senate security team.
The lawsuit was filed on Sept. 30 in state court in North Carolina. It gained attention after it was moved to federal court by request of Sinema’s attorneys, per The New York Times.
The lawsuit accuses Sinema of destroying Matthew and Heather Ammel’s marriage, inflicting “severe emotional pain, distress, embarrassment, mental anguish, loss of social position, disgrace and humiliation” on Heather.
Sinema appeared in conversation with Utah Gov. Spencer Cox at Utah’s 2026 Economic Outlook & Public Policy Summit in Salt Lake City. The panel was interrupted twice by men standing and yelling at Sinema during the panel in apparent reference to the allegations. The protesters, who were with people who appeared to be recording them on cellphones, were removed by security.
The lawsuit, filed by Sinema’s former security guard’s wife Heather Ammel, requests $75,000 in damages for “alienation of affection.” The Associated Press said North Carolina is one of a handful of states that allows spouses to seek damages from a third party responsible for the break-up of their marriage.
Sinema is accused in federal court of pursuing a relationship with Matthew Ammel, a married father of three. Ammel started working for Sinema in 2022, and the lawsuit claims the affair began in or prior to 2023.
The lawsuit accuses the senator of sending sexually suggestive messages and photos to Ammel on Signal, an encrypted messaging app; bringing him on various trips to California, Kentucky, Las Vegas and New York City; paying for him and his children to go to various concerts, including Taylor Swift, Green Day and U2; having a sexual relationship; and encouraging him to leave his wife.
Sinema made no reference to the lawsuit or allegations Friday, other than noting the disruption.
The suit claims Sinema, with knowledge of Ammel’s marriage, “began to willfully and intentionally seduce, entice, and alienate the affections of Mr. Ammel, and began to wrongfully and maliciously deprive [Heather Ammel] of the warmth, companionship, love, affection, consortium, society, financial contributions, services, and attention of Mr. Ammel.”
Sinema served three terms in Arizona’s House of Representatives, one term in Arizona’s State Senate, three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and one term in the U.S. Senate. She did not seek re-election after her Senate term ended in 2025.