Sued for breaking up a marriage, former U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema acknowledged a romantic affair with a member of her security detail during her time as an elected official.
Sinema made this declaration as part of a motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by security detail Matthew Ammel’s ex-wife, Heather Ammel.
She sued for “alienation of affection” in the North Carolina state court and has requested $75,000 in damages. The suit moved to federal court in January.
Heather Ammel has alleged that Sinema interfered in her marriage over the course of months in 2023 and 2024.
What did Sinema’s attorneys argue?
In the latest document, Sinema revealed that the relationship began at the end of May 2024, and all communication between her and Matthew Ammel was professional prior to that point.
Her lawyers also argued that North Carolina courts don’t have jurisdiction in this case, since Sinema and Ammel’s relationship grew outside of North Carolina, as The Associated Press reported.
She also rejected Heather Ammel’s claims that she phoned her husband with the knowledge that he was in North Carolina with his wife and children.
The motion filed by Sinema’s attorneys noted that the former Arizona senator messaged Matthew Ammel after his marriage had ended and he was living in a new place in North Carolina.
Although she admitted the affair turned physical and intimate, she denied sending sexual photos of herself or making suggestions for Matthew Ammel to bring her psychedelic drugs.
What has Sinema been up to since retirement?
Sinema, who began her political career as a Democrat but later switched her affiliation to independent, did not seek reelection in 2024, completing her one term in the U.S. Senate after three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Since her retirement from the Senate, Sinema has worked as the president and CEO of an advocacy organization, the Arizona Business Roundtable, which lobbies for more artificial intelligence data centers in her home state of Arizona.
Most recently, the Washington Reporter announced Sinema will join the news outlet, as the Deseret News reported.
But the controversy surrounding the lawsuit appears to continue affecting Sinema’s public appearances.
Earlier this year, as Sinema emphasized the importance of civility in politics during the 2026 Utah Economic Outlook & Public Policy Summit, she was interrupted by protesters.
The panel, hosted in Salt Lake City, was interrupted twice by men standing and yelling at Sinema, referencing the allegations made against her in the lawsuit. The protesters, who were with people who appeared to be recording them on cellphones, were removed by security.